A public hearing for the Cortland Commons Cannabis Retail project is scheduled for Thursday, Dec. 19, at Newburgh Town Hall. The proposal outlines plans for a cannabis retail business in the Cortland Commons plaza on Route 9W.

The project involves converting an existing 2,305-square-foot facility at 5440 Route 9W into a cannabis retail location. The facility, which includes a drive-thru area, will be used exclusively for retail purposes, with no on-site consumption of cannabis products, according to the applicant. Mauri Architects PC of Poughkeepsie is representing the project.

The site is near the Morris Drive neighborhood, Parr Valley East neighborhoods along Cortland Drive, the Overlook Farms development, and the Newburgh Commons project.

At a recent planning board meeting, engineer Brandon Petrella presented updates to the proposal. Petrella noted that the drive-thru feature, initially included in the design, is not permitted for this type of business under the current zoning regulations. “The applicant has abandoned the use of the drive-thru and will not pursue it,” Petrella said. Instead, the area will be repurposed to address a three-parking-space deficit, with plans to designate the space for staff parking.

Other revisions to the plan include adjustments requested by MHE Engineering and updates to the business’s signage. The initial signage design was deemed noncompliant and will be resubmitted for planning board review and approval.

According to MHE Engineering’s technical memo, the project received a local determination from the Orange County Planning Department, with no advisory comments. As the proposal requires a special use permit within the business zoning district, a public hearing is mandatory.

The project has been classified as a Type II Action under the State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA), meaning no further environmental review.