State approves first pot shop for Brookhaven Town, where Beleaf Medford plans winter opening
Joseph Martin, a co-owner of Beleaf Medford, at the store's proposed site on Middle Island Road in Medford. Credit: John Roca
Brookhaven's first town-approved cannabis dispensary could open in Medford as soon as January after town officials relaxed zoning regulations.
Beleaf Medford would join dispensaries in the Towns of Babylon, Riverhead and Southampton as the only marijuana stores on Long Island outside of the region's two American Indian reservations: the Shinnecock Nation reservation in Southampton and the Poospatuck reservation in Mastic.
The Medford store on Middle Island Road was among 141 shops statewide approved for adult-use cannabis licenses by the state Cannabis Control Board on Oct. 10.
Beleaf Medford co-owners Joseph Martin and Michael Reda said they are applying for a town building permit and hope to open the store in January or February.
"It’s been very difficult, and at the end of the day, it’s a roll of the dice," Reda said of the venture. "But we felt from our digging, our research, our due diligence that this was a good location."
The Medford store will be the owners' third cannabis dispensary. Beleaf operates a store in Brooklyn and another that's set to open in Riverhead later this year.
The opening of the first legal marijuana store in Brookhaven — Suffolk's largest town — is a milestone for the cannabis industry, said Hugo Rivas, leader of the Long Island Cannabis Coalition, a trade group of pot shop owners.
"It’s a little step," Rivas said. "But it’s a big step."
Brookhaven is one of only four Long Island towns to opt into the state's effort to legalize recreational marijuana. The others — Babylon, Riverhead and Southampton — have approved a total of six stores.
The stores are potentially lucrative for the towns: Babylon has collected more than $1.8 million from a special state sales tax from its first two East Farmingdale pot shops, officials said in September.
In 2021, Brookhaven imposed zoning rules that restricted pot stores to industrial areas. The measure barred retail cannabis dispensaries from opening within 500 feet of homes and 1,000 feet of schools, parks, libraries, houses of worship and other public facilities.
Would-be pot shop owners and industry leaders said the rules made it virtually impossible to find a legal place to open.
On Aug. 8, the Brookhaven Town Board voted 5-1 to amend the town code. The change prohibits stores from opening within 500 feet of the public facilities. The Medford shop would be 587 feet from a school and a day care facility, according to town records.
The facility is within 500 feet of a vacant property that is zoned for residential use. But in September, the Brookhaven Zoning Board of Appeals approved a three-year special permit and granted a variance that allowed the store to open on Middle Island Road. In a letter to an attorney for Reda and Martin, town officials said it "would be difficult/impossible to develop" housing at that property.
The zoning change and ZBA variance angered Brett Houdek, of Medford, who said town lawmakers "failed the people of Medford." He said the agenda for the Aug. 8 town board meeting said nothing about cannabis shops.
"They buried it in the agenda. They didn’t discuss it openly," said Houdek, president of the Medford Taxpayers & Civic Association. "The code was designed to protect the community, but apparently Medford is not a community the town thinks worthy of protection."
Councilman Michael Loguercio, who represents Medford, said the previous distance requirement "wasn’t fair" to applicants. He said Reda and Martin "did everything they needed to do" to open the store.
"It’s in an industrial zone. They’re following the letter of the law," Loguercio said. "As long as it’s done legally and it’s done right, then absolutely [it should be allowed]."
The new law requires Beleaf to open in a mostly industrial area, Reda said.
"That makes it a little difficult for a retail outfit, but I’d rather open than not open," Reda said. "We’re looking to be a positive addition to the community and the business community wherever we open."
Brookhaven's first town-approved cannabis dispensary could open in Medford as soon as January after town officials relaxed zoning regulations.
Beleaf Medford would join dispensaries in the Towns of Babylon, Riverhead and Southampton as the only marijuana stores on Long Island outside of the region's two American Indian reservations: the Shinnecock Nation reservation in Southampton and the Poospatuck reservation in Mastic.
The Medford store on Middle Island Road was among 141 shops statewide approved for adult-use cannabis licenses by the state Cannabis Control Board on Oct. 10.
Beleaf Medford co-owners Joseph Martin and Michael Reda said they are applying for a town building permit and hope to open the store in January or February.
"It’s been very difficult, and at the end of the day, it’s a roll of the dice," Reda said of the venture. "But we felt from our digging, our research, our due diligence that this was a good location."
The Medford store will be the owners' third cannabis dispensary. Beleaf operates a store in Brooklyn and another that's set to open in Riverhead later this year.
The opening of the first legal marijuana store in Brookhaven — Suffolk's largest town — is a milestone for the cannabis industry, said Hugo Rivas, leader of the Long Island Cannabis Coalition, a trade group of pot shop owners.
"It’s a little step," Rivas said. "But it’s a big step."
Brookhaven is one of only four Long Island towns to opt into the state's effort to legalize recreational marijuana. The others — Babylon, Riverhead and Southampton — have approved a total of six stores.
The stores are potentially lucrative for the towns: Babylon has collected more than $1.8 million from a special state sales tax from its first two East Farmingdale pot shops, officials said in September.
In 2021, Brookhaven imposed zoning rules that restricted pot stores to industrial areas. The measure barred retail cannabis dispensaries from opening within 500 feet of homes and 1,000 feet of schools, parks, libraries, houses of worship and other public facilities.
Would-be pot shop owners and industry leaders said the rules made it virtually impossible to find a legal place to open.
On Aug. 8, the Brookhaven Town Board voted 5-1 to amend the town code. The change prohibits stores from opening within 500 feet of the public facilities. The Medford shop would be 587 feet from a school and a day care facility, according to town records.
The facility is within 500 feet of a vacant property that is zoned for residential use. But in September, the Brookhaven Zoning Board of Appeals approved a three-year special permit and granted a variance that allowed the store to open on Middle Island Road. In a letter to an attorney for Reda and Martin, town officials said it "would be difficult/impossible to develop" housing at that property.
The zoning change and ZBA variance angered Brett Houdek, of Medford, who said town lawmakers "failed the people of Medford." He said the agenda for the Aug. 8 town board meeting said nothing about cannabis shops.
"They buried it in the agenda. They didn’t discuss it openly," said Houdek, president of the Medford Taxpayers & Civic Association. "The code was designed to protect the community, but apparently Medford is not a community the town thinks worthy of protection."
Councilman Michael Loguercio, who represents Medford, said the previous distance requirement "wasn’t fair" to applicants. He said Reda and Martin "did everything they needed to do" to open the store.
"It’s in an industrial zone. They’re following the letter of the law," Loguercio said. "As long as it’s done legally and it’s done right, then absolutely [it should be allowed]."
The new law requires Beleaf to open in a mostly industrial area, Reda said.
"That makes it a little difficult for a retail outfit, but I’d rather open than not open," Reda said. "We’re looking to be a positive addition to the community and the business community wherever we open."
Relaxed marijuana laws
- In August, Brookhaven Town changed its zoning laws for cannabis shops in industrial areas.
- The 2021 town law: Marijuana dispensaries are prohibited within 1,000 feet of schools, houses of worship, parks, playgrounds and other public facilities.
- New measure: Dispensaries are prohibited within 500 feet of public facilities.
Carl MacGowan is a Long Island native who covers Brookhaven Town after having previously covered Smithtown, Suffolk County courts and numerous spot news and feature stories over his 20-plus year career at Newsday.
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