Bay Ridge parents and Poles push to block legal pot shops near schools and churches

Bay Ridge parents, politicians and civic leaders are pleading with state regulators to reject a proposed cannabis store located near many of the Brooklyn neighborhood's schools and places of worship.

“We are writing to express our strong opposition to the proposed opening of this cannabis dispensary,” U.S. Rep. Nicole Malliotakis and state Assembly members Michael Tannousis and Alec Brook-Krasny said in a letter to at the New York Office of Cannabis Management – ​​referring to a pot shop location for 84-12 3rd Ave., a heavily residential neighborhood.

“The opening of this cannabis dispensary will have a profound negative impact on the quality of life of our community,” the politicians said.

Lawmakers identified the number of schools and churches within a 1.5-block radius of the address: Dimitrios & Georgia Kaloidis Parish School, Adelphi Academy of Brooklyn, Stepping Preschool Stones, PS 185, Bay Ridge Catholic Academy and Holy Cross Greek Academy. Saint-Anselme Orthodox Church and Catholic Church.

More than 200 parents showed up at a recent public hearing at Kaloidis School to oppose the proposed pottery store.

Enemies have no legal power to block weed dispensaries, but they can voice their opinions to the OCM.

“Creating an adult-only retail dispensary in this location, where there is heavy student foot traffic (going to and from school) daily, would result in increased exposure to minors to cannabis, despite “regulations and age restrictions” the lawmakers said in their letter to the agency.

“The opening of this establishment would disrupt neighboring schools and undermine the sanctity of neighboring places of worship. Considering these factors, we urge you to decline the opening of this cannabis dispensary in this location.

Community Board 10 also voted against the planned weed store, formerly on the site of the Pilo Arts Salon, as inappropriate, also given the thousands of students who attend other nearby schools and places of worship, including including PS 185 at Ridge Boulevard, Fort Hamilton High School. on Shore Road, St Mary's Antiochian Orthodox Church on Ridge Blvd, the Bay Ridge Jewish Center on 81st Street and the Masjid Al Rahman Mosque on 86th Street.

“This area has a high density of pedestrian traffic and students from surrounding public and private schools. It is estimated that there are approximately 8,000 students near the proposed location,” CB 10 said in a statement.

“The surrounding area is primarily residential. The size of the premises will include three storefronts and will occupy a good portion of this section of Third Avenue.

The company looking to open the cannabis store is RMAN Holdings. Its directors include Georgio Matesi as 51% owner, as well as Amir Carvan and Edgar Kleydman.

Under the state's cannabis law, municipalities across the state can choose not to open licensed weed stores. Virtually every community in Nassau County and most of Suffolk County on Long Island has refused to open cannabis stores.

But New York City Mayor Eric Adams and his predecessor, Bill de Blasio, have gotten into the cannabis business.

City and state officials have already moved to close illegal pot shops in Bay Ridge, including the infamous “Gelato” store on 86th Street, as well as numerous stores across the city.

There are 137 licensed marijuana dispensaries in the Empire State, including 62 in the city, according to the OCM website.

Gov. Kathy Hochul and Adams announced last week that more than 500 illicit shots had been padlocked by authorities under a strengthened state law.