HB civic group says ‘no’ to pot dispensary Neighbors overwhelmingly oppose legal weed shop on Cross Bay Blvd.

by Kristen Guglielmo

Associate Editor

Over 300 concerned residents packed into the cafeteria at St. Helen Catholic Academy in Howard Beach for the Howard Beach Lindenwood Civic’s meeting to discuss a topic making the rounds at civic groups all over Queens: marijuana dispensaries.

Specifically, the meeting called into question a dispensary application for 15702 Cross Bay Blvd., which is currently shared by multiple establishments, including medical offices and a European Wax Center. The location is about a 10-minute walk from three schools: PS 146, PS 207 and St. Helen Catholic Academy.

The applicant, Andray Sukhu, initially agreed to attend the meeting, the civic said, but later decided against it. He could not be reached for comment.

“We wanted to give the owner the chance to be transparent with us,” said Barbara

McNamara, the group’s co-president, in a press release.

“We gave him the option, he chose not to take it and is already showing us what type of community partner and business owner he potentially will be by refusing to be transparent and show up in good faith for our residents,” Phyllis Inserillo, the civic’s other co-president, said.

At the meeting, Inserillo asked for a show of hands to see how many people in the crowd, whose concerns involved safety and worries that children would become intrigued by the drug, were opposed to the dispensary. The vote was almost unanimous, with only one or two objections, the group said in its press release.

“Our community does not want this business to come to Cross Bay Boulevard, or anywhere in 11414,” Inserillo said.

Councilwoman Joann Ariola (R-Ozone Park), state Sen. Joe Addabbo Jr. (D-Woodhaven) and Assemblywoman Stacey Pheffer Amato (D-Rockaway Park) agreed to write letters of opposition to the dispensary application, the civic said.

“The disastrous state rollout of the cannabis program has created more cause for concern than comfort, and until we have a better understanding of state plans, and the impacts these retailers have on neighborhoods, I cannot support any such establishment within District 32,” Ariola said. Q