Mineola places restrictions on where pot may be sold

Mineola’s board of trustees on Wednesday unanimously passed an amendment that regulates where medical marijuana dispensaries and retail marijuana stores can be located within the village.

The amendment assigns marijuana facilities to village zone M, for light manufacturing and industrial use. Dispensaries and stores cannot be placed within 200 feet of a residential area or within 500 feet of any school, church, park or playground, the amendment states. A marijuana facility cannot be placed within a half-mile of another facility, the amendment states.

Mineola Mayor Scott Strauss said residents should not view this move as anti-marijuana.

“What we’re looking to rezone here is the recreational use of marijuana,” Strauss said. “[We’re] not banning it. We’re just simply saying, ‘If you want to sell it in the Village of Mineola, by all means, you’re welcome — in the M zone.’ ”

Many Long Island communities are looking to enact marijuana-related legislation in anticipation of New York approving legalized recreational use of marijuana.

North Hempstead has already passed an amendment that regulates where medical marijuana facilities can locate in the town. Munsey Park and New Hyde Park are looking to pass similar ordinances.