Village_SurveyComments_ Marijuana.xlsx

	A	B	C	D	E	F	G	H
1	Type of Comment	Count	Example comments

2	parking/traffic concerns/overcrowding	48	"Until a traffic/congestion study is done, I do not think this should be approved."	"The only thing is PARKING. I would not open a business in the village due to lack of parking "	"more car traffic, people traffic, in our little Village, would become major concerns. "	"I’m a resident with school-aged kids. I’m a progressive thinker. I feel the legalization of marijuana should have happened decades ago. That said, I have seen the impact the dispensary in Great Barrington had on its surroundings. The traffic jam around the dispensary was matched only by the mob of people outside lining up for service. If we allow a dispensary, we will get all of the downside for the few residents who will be taking advantage of the product. There will be an argument for drawing more tourists into the Village to patronize the other businesses, but to this I ask, “How many more tourists can we absorb, how many more do we need?” A business owner would answer one way, but I think the tax paying residents would answer another. At some point we risk becoming a Hamptons or a Cape Cod where every business is geared toward tourists and all sense of community and normal life is lost. Adding a dispensary will add a large amount of congestion and hassle for the benefit of very few. I believe the same can be said for a lounge. Thanks for listening."
3	put it in the town	31	old Cinnamon location, Astor Square, "drive to" location so kids can't get to it so easily	"The best option would be in the town for traffic and parking reasons"
4	we could use the tax revenue	25	"Take advantage of the income for the village "
5	we just don't need it here/doesn't fit with our setting/prioritize oldtimers	22	"We need to start thinking more about the people that live here rather than focusing on the tourists and out of towners who are taking over the village."	"Please stop catering to the new people from NYC and start looking at original occupants of Rhinebeck that you are driving out. They are the one who made Rhinebeck what is it "	"My [family has been here for generations] and we frequently consider moving because of the disregard for long time residents and the town's focus on tourism. The climate has changed from peaceful idyllic to chaotic."	"I THINK IT WOULD BE A BAD IDEA TO SPOIL RHINEBECK WITH ANY MORE INTRUSIONS. "	" I know that the Village and Town care about money and profit (taxes) more than anything, but for once, I beg you. Pay attention and care about the people in this town who have lived here for 5-10 years+. Not the newcomers who only want to urbanize the great village that we all call home."	"Rhinebeck is being ruined by NYC people! Now this! No way! "
6	should be treated like liquor stores or bars	18	"No different than a liquor store-which is a dispensary or a bar-which is a lounge, might as well regulate and tax it in the village "
7	concern for youth	13	"The drug problem in RHS is already horrible. Please leave the village as the historical/wonderful and wholesome place that kids visit each day after school."	"I am happy that the State of NY has decriminalized marijuana. My objections are that Rhinebeck sits in between five institutions of higher education (Vassar, Marist, CIA, and Bard, as well as Dutchess Community College) and that this could very quickly become a nuisance to village life. Moreover, the K-12 education facilities are directly in the village and while I am fine with consenting adults making choices, I am NOT okay with an expansion of establishments that will increase the volume of traffic into town to consume or purchase marijuana on site. I've seen what Great Barrington looks like and I do NOT want that for Rhinebeck. We have enough pressures already from tourism and local industry support for this and adding yet another piece to this will further push Rhinebeck into full time tourist Disney. Thank you for the opportunity to share my perspectives."
8	value it for its medicinal properties/ would like a convenient close location	12	"I was a first responder [in the area for many years] and got hurt on the job and use cannabis as a medication with a card. My injuries limit how far I walk and even with the legalization I still feel "judged" because I'm using a medication to help walk more to visit and shop. What I'm saying is inclusion will make people like me who visit tourist locations can not feel judged when using cannabis while visiting and shopping local attractions, it feels more inclusive."	"reduce stigma"	"Marijuana is a medicine and should not be treated like a bad thing.. it’s a shame is consumers have to hide in fear. Enough.!"
9	no sobriety test /fear of dangerous drivers	10	better to have people do it at home rather than lounges	"It’s one thing to have a dispensary where people can make a purchase and bring it home to consume. But opening a lounge would present many issues. My main concern would be how to know if people consumed an excess amount and were unable to drive. How would that affect our safety especially our children safety."
10	"wrong crowd" coming in/ crime/small police dept can't handle it/ public disorderly conduct	10	"We have "overdose" signs up all over the Village this week. I don't think we should tacitly encourage any more drug use by providing any more places to buy them and places to use them. A part time police force already has enough to do with the relaxed patrons coming out of our bars and restaurants and getting on the road"	"Don’t sell out our town and make it dangerous. No good will come from this"	"It will be the beginning of the end of our relatively crime free life if Rhinebeck becomes a go to location to buy and smoke marijuana. "
11	secondhand smoke/ make rhinebeck a smoke free zone/ concerns about pot smell	9	"Foul stench and second hand smoke for our kids is a BIG NO. "	"I would also like to see Rhinebeck institute a smoke-free zone disallowing any smoking of tobacco, marijuana, vape, etc. "
12	gateway drug/ damaging, dangerous if abused	9	"It’s still considered a gateways drug/narcotic. Have already heard so many stories from residents, none of them were positive in nature. I’m all for a “pain free” assistance but this is the line that shouldn’t be crossed. If someone truly “needed” it, they would’ve already researched alternative measures. Seriously sad if this is passed. "
13	encourage locally-owned business/jobs	8	"I worked at a dispensary in Great Barrington MA. It opens up jobs and helps bring in tourists and helps promote people in our community."
14	opt out for now, see how it goes in surrounding area, maybe opt in later	7	"Given yet-to-be developed state regulations and many other unknowns, including potential foot and vehicular traffic or other unforseen negative effects, I urge the Board to opt out now and take the opportunity to observe how this unfolds at the state level and in communities that opt in."	"Choose options that give you flexibility in the future."
15	restrict to zoned areas/ follow regulations on signage/limit number of permits/restrict hours of operation	6	"Please zone it well so it don’t stank up the town"
16	freedom/ it's legal/ it's a personal choice	3	"I believe the Village Board should allow for dispensaries and lounges. This does not guarantee their opening as an inevitability, but rather it lets the free market will decide if they are a good fit for Rhinebeck and its residents."	"I do not smoke marijuana or use it in any way. However, I believe those who desire it for their personal use should have local access "
17	dispensaries can be beautifully tastefully done	2	"We have seen some beautifully done dispensaries... in our travels and have no objection to them in Rhinebeck if done right"
18	social justice aspect	2	"The creation of dispensaries and lounges would be hugely beneficial to the community but we have to be selective about the businesses that introduce cannabis as a lifestyle and concept to the community, I cannot stress how important it is for rhinebeck to act a representative of diversity and choose to empower cannabis businesses owned and run by minority groups who have been hit the hardest by the war on drugs."	"I do hope that the local government makes an effort to divert financial gains to communities that have historically been most affected by the criminalization of marijuana. Thank you!"
19	this is safe, not blackmarket laced weed	1	"a place to buy things that we know aren’t laced "	"I believe that having safe and legal Marijuana will bring positive business to the community. Marijuana is safer than alcohol and should be treated as equal or better for the community. "
20
21
22	Other Examples of Interesting Comments
23
24	"I think we need to stick with facts as we move forward and not make decisions based on beliefs and misinformation left over from the the 1980s. The major concern of a dispensary in the center of the village would be space and parking, but there is no reason to assume that a dispensary would being any more traffic than any other successful business opening up in the village. Furthermore, I am all for making the entire center of the village a SMOKE-FREE zone. This could apply to all forms of smoke-- cannabis, tobacco, and vapes. I think the convenience to the residents and the tax revenue for the village far outweigh the fear mongering I've heard bandied about. downsides "
25	"I feel strongly that a well-run dispensary would be a boon to the village, and see no problem at all with a lounge, run along the same lines as the bars in the area."
26	"I’ve never seen a really angry or violent pothead. Instead of bar fights, your biggest problem might be giggle fits."
27	"I have no philosophical objection to a dispensary. I will say, however, that when Northampton MA opened up their dispensary, there were huge lines, at least for a while at first. Regulating days/time of operation would make sense. And, despite the potential for more traffic, expecting the creation of more parking would not be consistent with goals for being a sustainable village that makes efforts to address climate change. So I would be opposed to a dispensary if it required making room for more cars."
28	"Have yet to hear a solid factual argument against approving this. It is not enough to say if we don’t approve it now we can always do it later. I believe that opportunities will be lost if you kick the can down the road. "
29	"I was very disappointed that the town officials took it upon themselves to formulate a policy without feedback from the public. Thank you for your openness."
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100