FARMS
NOT
FACTORIES!

How did a small rural town with no public sewer or water end up with a smelly pot factory? 

CHARLES LATINI

Part Owner of GMNJ (through Ewing Dirt)

Planning Consultant to GMNJ

West Amwell Special Planner

West Amwell Zoning Officer

Author of West Amwell Cannabis Ordinances

Performs Route 31 Redevelopment Study  and wrote the Redevelopment Plan

STEVE BERGENFELD

Owner of Pine Creek Redevelopment (Route 31)

Owner of Medical Cannabis Company 

Writes letters of support for GMNJ while applying for retail license 

Publicly recuses himself from participating in Cannabis related matters while privately working with Chuck Latini to draft ordinances

SETH TIPTON

Medical Marijuana Attorney 

Registers Pine Creek Redevelopment

Writes Letter to West Amwell Township Requesting Route 31 Study on behalf of Anonymous clients?

GMNJ is being sued for failure to pay their mortage

Owes over $7 million dollars to lenders and unpaid contractors

No statement from the Township Committee 

Have they paid their West Amwell Taxes?

And all that Host Agreement money?

Read the Filing 

OPERATING SINCE  NOV with a TCO.  Numerous unresolved violations of Planning Board Resolution

Recall of Product due to Insects and Human Hair

July 31 2024 Update

GMNJ received a Temporary CO on November 23, 2023, valid until February 14, 2024.  Requirement include "Completion of Phase 2 and all engineering concerns" If GMNJ did not meet these obligations, they would be subject to fine or vacate" 

Strong Odor 

Multiple neighbors and residents have reported a strong smell on numerous occasions. The West Amwell Zoning Officer,  the West Amwell Township Committee, the NJ DEP and the Hunterdon Country Health Department have all been notified.  Formal Complaints have also been filed.   Yet it still smells! 

No Sound Barriers 

GMNJ have not installed the required sound barrier and there is no apparent work being done to build the barrier. 

They appear to be relying on Port of Potties (with permission of Township officials).  The much disputed septic system appears to be not working. 

Despite these many issues the TCO has been renewed multiple times

The Township Committee has publicly stated that GMNJ has until end of July to remedy the numerous documented issues. 

On July 29, 2024 CRC has issued a recall for GMNJ products because their product contains insect parts and human hair.  

Benefits to West Amwell Residents and Community

No update on whether GMNJ has paid any of the promised Development fees to West Amwell Township. 

SHORT UPDATE 

GMNJ don’t have permits to fully complete construction or begin operations.   

West Amwell Township has issued a permit for interior construction - no exterior work allowed. There are still several outstanding conditions that must be met AND a lawsuit is pending.  The lawsuit challenges the planning board approval on multiple grounds including jurisdiction, alleged corruption and unethical behavior and more. In the meantime, all work performed by GMNJ is at their own risk.

License Status: The approval by the Cannabis Commission stipulated that GMNJ must “be fully permitted within 18 months” of the date that their license was awarded - that would have been April 15, 2023.  We don’t know exactly what “fully permitted” means or if CRC gave them an extension.  If we learn more, we will share it.


More 


Woodmeier Farms Lawsuit

Read the complaint

A look back at 2022 

It certainly was an eventful and enlightening year.  

In January of 2022, few residents were aware that the West Amwell Township Committee had voted to allow cannabis businesses to locate in West Amwell and almost no one had heard of GMNJ, a Colorado company.


That changed with the application by GMNJ to turn a former church on Route 518 into a 30,000 square foot cannabis factory. We learned that this factory could be the first of many and that all types of cannabis businesses are permitted in West Amwell, some in residential zones. 


And we worried – about our water, our quiet way of life and our property values.

 

We organized and we spoke up.

We wrote letters and emails to Committee members.  We studied, became familiar with, and in some cases experts on the various laws and governmental agencies.  We learned that how you calculate water usage for septic really matters, and that regulations in place to protect the environment are important, 

 


We made a difference.

Residents and community members showed up at every meeting – sitting through hours of testimony, waiting to be heard.  When it was our turn, residents repeatedly raised concerns, about noise and odor, about wetlands and the environmentally sensitive SRPD zone, and about water usage and the risks to our wells.   


An application that appeared destined for easy approval in February was delayed, reworked and required three Planning Board meetings that ran through July.  The Planning Board heard you and imposed specific conditions that could help protect our wells.  


While we didn’t get everything and are disappointed by the decision, our voices and presence made a difference.

 

We VOTED 

West Amwell residents voted overwhelmingly for change electing Meghan Hudson to Township Committee.  While her running mate Dee Yoder did not win, she received an amazing 240+ write in votes.  The power of the Ballot is strong and loud. 

 

And the fight continues

Legal challenges are pending against approvals by the Planning Board and other government agencies.

The Hunterdon County Department of Health rescinded their decision to to allow GMNJ's factory to use the undersized septic system designed for a church and built in 1990. 

NJ DEP is now involved and GMNJ is finally taking steps to apply for a Treatment Works Permit to manage the waste water. If you want more details on any aspects of these actions and updates, just ask.  


We remain hopeful

that the West Amwell Township Committee will revisit the cannabis ordinance to address the many concerns raised by residents and neighbors, and with the help of independent experts put in needed protections. 


With your help and vigilance, we can finally get meaningful and enforceable protections in place.


THANK YOU and HAPPY NEW YEAR

Latest news.........

December 7  West Amwell Township Committee votes to adopt new cannabis ordinance.

The law amends the current rules which allow unlimited cannabis cultivation and manufacturing and up to 2 retail facilities and allows facilities in residential areas.

Notable changes:

Limits Recreational cultivation to 2 large facilities and 2 micro.  Unlimited medical still allowed. 

Does not limit number of manufacturing facilities or warehouses.  

Requires cultivation facilities (but not manufacturing) to provide a water conservation plan and to "maximize solar energy use"

Removes requirement to abide by West Amwell Noise and Odor rules and relies instead on state rules only. 

Requires cultivation facilities (and ONLY cultivation facilities) to install odor control systems.  THIS IS A BIG PROBLEM. Manufacturing uses concentrated oils and can smell worse than cultivation and the smell can be persistent.

Requires cultivation facilities to shield generators. Generators for other types of facilities do not need to be shielded (why?)


November 16   West Amwell Township Committee introduced new Cannabis Law.

Notable changes are limits to recreational cultivation.  Sadly this bill does not appear to provide basic and minimal protections needed.  Water use is not limited or metered ! And unlimited medical cultivation and manufacturing are allowed.  


November 8  Meghan Hudson wins seat on West Amwell Township Committee

Congratulation to Meghan Hudson and Dee Yoder for running a strong campaign.  Dee Yoder got over 200 write in votes which is absolutely amazing.  It is clear that West Amwell residents want change and you made your voice heard at the ballot box. 


October 5  West Amwell Township Committee fails to introduce new cannabis law.

West Amwell Township Committee decided they weren't ready  (despite putting the proposed new law/ordinance on the agenda), in part because they needed time to consider the suggestions which Meghan Hudson provided.  

Do you think the Commitee is actually planning to make changes or did they put the ordinance on the agenda because Save the Amwell publicly asked residents to support us in calling for change?

September 21   Save  the Amwells called on West Amwell Township Committee to make needed changes to cannabis laws NOW.  Publicly asks residents to join us on October 5 to ask for change.

We listed 6 changes needed and announced that we would be proposing a specific ordinance.

FIVE CHANGES NEEDED TO PROTECT OUR WATER & WAY OF LIFE

Limit the number of facilities

The new law allows UNLIMITED medical cultivation, UNLIMITED manufacturing, and warehouses. 

The law DOES add limits on recreational cultivation.  Two large factories and two micros will be allowed.  Plus unlimited medical including cultivation.

Limit and meter water usage

The new law requires cultivators to provide a water saving plan. 

 IT DOES NOT HAVE LIMITS or require metering. 

WIthout quantifiable limits and a means to enforce, a water saving plan is not going to protect us!

Proactive monitoring of  odor & noise

Limits are near impossible to enforce without tools in place.

It becomes he said/ she said and the onus is on the residents to prove that there is an issue. 


Minimum distance from houses

Must require at least 1000 feet from existing residences OR limit to Industrial zones (per state guidelines) 

Industrial zones have existing noise and unusual odor reducing impact

Cannabis facilities are allowed in Residential and Commercial zone in West Amwell.  A buffer zone protects us. 

No cannabis in school zones

Cannabis facilities do not belong in school zones

There is not much more to say


UNLIMITED MARIJUANA FACTORIES ALLOWED IN WEST AMWELL 

Residential areas are included.
Learn more

CANNABIS FACTORIES ARE NOT FARMS

We will never sell or share your email address

IMPACTS TO OUR COMMUNITY

  TOO MANY RISKS. TOO MANY UNKNOWNS.