76 Ashland Avenue Blue Violet Grow LLC West Orange Planner Report

105 Grove Street, Suite 3 Montclair, NJ 07042 973.954.2677 www.NishuaneGroup.com MEMORANDUM TO: Township of West Orange Planning Board FR: Gerard M. Haizel, PP, AICP, Principal RE: PB-25-04 – 76 Ashland Avenue – Blue Violet Grow, LLC Block 62, Lots 22.01 DT: August 19, 2025 The following is prepared on behalf of the West Orange Planning Board. The information is for advisory purposes only and is intended to assist the Board’s decision-making process. Below are descriptions of the projects based on the supplied plans and documentation as well as commentary on issues evident from them. Items Reviewed In preparation of this report, I have reviewed the following items: • Township of West Orange Application form for the Planning or Zoning Board of Adjustment, dated May 21, 2025. • Site Plans titled, “Cannabis Cultivation and manufacturing Facility Building Renovation, 76 Ashland Avenue, West Orange, NJ, consisting of eight (8) sheets, dated 4-30-2025, prepared by Gianfranco C. Sarrido, RA of Bersa Architects. • Lighting Plan, Tax Lot 22.01, Block 62, aka 76-82 Ashland Avenue, Township of West Orange, Essex County, New Jersey, consisting of one (1) sheet, dated 4-30- 2025, prepared by Joseph Golden, PE, PP of Golden & Moran Engineering, LLC, Planning & Design. • Minor Site Plan, Landscape and Lighting Plan, Tax Lot 22.01, Block 62, aka 76-82 Ashland Avenue, Township of West Orange, Essex County, New Jersey, consisting of one (1) sheet, dated 4-30-2025, prepared by Joseph Golden, PE, PP of Golden & Moran Engineering, LLC, Planning & Design. •

August 19, 2025 Page 2 of 16 PB-25-04 76 Ashland Avenue – Blue Violet Grow, LLC Block 62, Lot 22.01 105 Grove Street, Suite 3, Montclair, NJ 07042 • Phone: (973) 954-2677 • www.NishuaneGroup.com • Township of West Orange Site Plan / Subdivision Checklist: PB-25-04, 76 Ashland Avenue - Blue Violet Grow, LLC • Township of West Orange Planning Board Resolution – PB 24-05 – 76-82 Ashland Avenue & 10 Park Avenue - Yerrr Canna, LLC, Application for Conditional Use, C(2) Variance and Minor Site Plan Approval, decided on April 3, 2024, memorialized April 17, 2024. Project Overview On property located in the Township’s I (Industry) District, the applicant, Blue Violet Grow, LLC, proposes to operate a cannabis cultivation and manufacturing facility on the subject site. The Applicant has obtained a Conditional License dated July 13, 2022 from the State of New Jersey Cannabis Regulatory Commission (CRC) as a Class 2 Cannabis Manufacturer and a Conditional License elated July 29, 2022 for a Class 1 Cannabis Cultivator. Further, on December 10, 2024, the West Orange Township Council adopted Resolution 357-24 declaring its local support for the Applicant's facility as required by the CRC regulation, N.J.A.C. 17:30-5. l(g). Licensed Cannabis Entities are permitted as a conditional use in the I-District within the Township. This means that in order to be permitted in the I-District, the proposed facility must meet specific conditional use requirements. The applicant is seeking conditional use approval as well as minor site plan approval for the proposed facility. Pursuant to the Township of West Orange Code, Chapter 5, Article VII-Cannabis Licenses, Section 5-34.2 – Definitions, the following words and phrases shall be defined as follows: LICENSED CANNABIS ENTITY - Shall mean either a Licensed Cannabis Establishment or a Licensed Medical Marijuana Facility as defined in this section. LICENSED CANNABIS ESTABLISHMENT - Shall mean a duly licensed Cannabis Cultivator, a Cannabis Manufacturer, a Cannabis Wholesaler, or a Cannabis Retailer licensed under the New Jersey Cannabis Regulatory, Enforcement Assistance, and Marketplace Modernization Act, N.J.S.A. 24:6I-31, et. seq. CANNABIS CULTIVATOR - Means any licensed person or entity who holds a Class 1 Cannabis Cultivator license that grows, cultivates, or produces cannabis in this State, and sells, and may transport, this cannabis

CULTIVATOR - Means any licensed person or entity who holds a Class 1 Cannabis Cultivator license that grows, cultivates, or produces cannabis in this State, and sells, and may transport, this cannabis to other cannabis cultivators, or usable cannabis to cannabis manufacturers, cannabis wholesalers, or cannabis retailers, but not to consumers or as otherwise defined under the New Jersey Cannabis Regulatory, Enforcement Assistance, and Marketplace Modernization Act, N.J.S.A. 24:6I-31, et. seq.

August 19, 2025 Page 3 of 16 PB-25-04 76 Ashland Avenue – Blue Violet Grow, LLC Block 62, Lot 22.01 105 Grove Street, Suite 3, Montclair, NJ 07042 • Phone: (973) 954-2677 • www.NishuaneGroup.com CANNABIS MANUFACTURER - Means any licensed person or entity who holds a Class 2 Cannabis Manufacturer license that processes cannabis items in this State by purchasing or otherwise obtaining usable cannabis, manufacturing, preparing, and packaging cannabis items, and selling, and optionally transporting, these items to other cannabis manufacturers, cannabis wholesalers, or cannabis retailers, but not to consumers or as otherwise defined under the New Jersey Cannabis Regulatory, Enforcement Assistance, and Marketplace Modernization Act, N.J.S.A. 24:6I-31, et. seq. Required Variances No variances are required for this application. However, there are outstanding items that were included as conditions of approval for the Yerrr Canna, LLC application (PB-24-05), which proposed a similar use/development on the subject site. The applicant for the current application (Blue Violet Grow, LLC) has indicated their intent to satisfy these outstanding conditions as part of their application. Requested Checklist Waivers A waiver is requested from providing the following items from Township of West Orange Site Plan/Subdivision Checklist: • Item 5: A schedule of required and provided zone district(s) requirements including lot area, width, depth, yard setbacks, building coverage, open space, parking, etc. Planner’s Comment: I have no objection to this waiver being granted. The applicant proposes the internal fit-out of an existing building on the subject site and does not propose any changes to the location nor footprint of any of the existing structures on the site. As such, no setbacks or related dimensions will change. Project Description The subject site encompasses 38,497-SF (0.89-acre). The site is improved with several buildings, including a 1-story commercial building and an adjacent 2-story dwelling located on the Ashland Avenue frontage and a 3-story brick commercial building, in which the applicant proposes to lease space for the proposed cannabis establishment. Additionally, there is an existing 2-story metal building located in the southern, “flag” area of the site. The building in which the proposed establishment will be located is situated adjacent to the northern

lly, there is an existing 2-story metal building located in the southern, “flag” area of the site. The building in which the proposed establishment will be located is situated adjacent to the northern property line and is setback from the Ashland Avenue frontage, to accommodate

August 19, 2025 Page 4 of 16 PB-25-04 76 Ashland Avenue – Blue Violet Grow, LLC Block 62, Lot 22.01 105 Grove Street, Suite 3, Montclair, NJ 07042 • Phone: (973) 954-2677 • www.NishuaneGroup.com a paved parking area with eight (8) striped parking spaces, including one (1) ADA-compliant space. Sixteen (16) additional parking spaces are proposed on the southern side of the building, including one (1) additional ADA-compliant space and two (2) spaces designated for compact cars. Eight (8) spaces are proposed along the eastern side (rear) property line, including one (1) ADA-compliant space. To the south of theses spaces, adjacent to and existing 2-story metal building, is proposed a striped area that will be a designated no parking fire lane. Ingress onto the site will be an existing one-way driveway located to the south of the 2-story dwelling located on the site at 80 Ashland Avenue. This driveway will extend beyond the dwelling, where there are four (4) parking spaces. Beyond the parking spaces, plans show an existing gate and fence, which will remain. This fence will extend to the north to a pedestrian gate between the fence and the southwestern corner of the building where the cannabis establishment will be located. The southern end the existing fence will meet a proposed new 6-foot-tall slatted chain-link fence, which will extend along the southern property line at the rear of the proposed row of parking stalls. The applicant indicates that ingress and egress to and from the site will also be from a two- way access off Park Avenue, across the adjoining lots 32 and 34 located to the north of the subject site. The applicant proposes to undertake both internal and external modification of the existing 3-story building to facilitate the proposed cannabis cultivation and manufacturing operation. Plans show that the proposed facility will occupy all three floors of the building. The main entry to the building will be located at the northwestern corner, where a door on the western façade will open to an internal vestibule and staircase, which will access a corridor that will extend along the northern side of the building to the eastern end. On the southern side of this corridor, immediately inside the entry, is a second corridor that will branch off the southern side of the main corridor and access men’s and women’s bathrooms and locker rooms on the eastern and

this corridor, immediately inside the entry, is a second corridor that will branch off the southern side of the main corridor and access men’s and women’s bathrooms and locker rooms on the eastern and western sides. At the end of this access corridor is proposed an office, which will provide access a utility area located on the southwestern perimeter of the 1st floor. At the eastern end of the main corridor is proposed an elevator and an adjacent enclosed staircase, both of which will access all three floors of the building, as well as the northern side yard. To the west of the elevator and stair enclosure is a room identified as a processing room. Abutting this area to the east (and south of the elevator/staircase) is a packaging room, a room identified as the vault and a receiving room, which will access a delivery room,

August 19, 2025 Page 5 of 16 PB-25-04 76 Ashland Avenue – Blue Violet Grow, LLC Block 62, Lot 22.01 105 Grove Street, Suite 3, Montclair, NJ 07042 • Phone: (973) 954-2677 • www.NishuaneGroup.com which will be located in an area that extends out beyond the building façade, to a proposed enclosed area under the existing canopy on the southern frontage. In the southeastern corner of the 1st floor is a room identified as a dry/trim room, opposite to which is proposed a mechanical room, located in the northeastern corner of the 1st floor. The layout on the 2nd and 3rd floors will be similar to the 1st floor, with the same corridor extending between the front entry staircase and the rear elevator and staircase. Four (4) doors off of the corridor will access four (4) rooms identified on the plans as flower rooms and a single “veggie room.” Eight (8) HVAC units are proposed on the roof top of the existing canopy, and a fence and steel wall are proposed on the perimeter to conceal them from sight. Exterior Finishes o The existing brick façade of the building will remain. Plans show existing windows and door opening on the exterior that will no longer be used will be infilled. o The existing aluminum framed glass entry door, transom and sidelights will remain, with updated weather seals and hardware o The area under the existing canopy will be enclosed up to the existing canopy. o An 8-foot-tall chain link fence with slats will be installed above an 8-foot-tall solid sheet metal fence on the perimeter of the canopy rooftop to conceal the duct work and HVAC condenser units proposed to be installed there. Landscaping o Eighteen (18) Red Osier Dogwood trees are proposed, with eight (8) proposed on the southern side property line and six (6) adjacent to the building façade on the eastern elevation. Four (4) additional trees are proposed on the southern side of the existing 2-story metal building located in the southern area of the site. o Twenty-seven (27) Ruby Spider Daylily shrubs are proposed, with fifteen (15) proposed on the southern side property line and twelve (12) adjacent to the building façade on the eastern elevation. Lighting o Five (5) NLS Lighting Single T4-32L-1-HSS Wall-Mounted Light fixtures are proposed, on the southern façade of the building. o Two (2) NLS Lighting Single T2-16L Pole-Mounted Light fixtures are proposed, on the southern property line in

-1-HSS Wall-Mounted Light fixtures are proposed, on the southern façade of the building. o Two (2) NLS Lighting Single T2-16L Pole-Mounted Light fixtures are proposed, on the southern property line in the area of the proposed row of parking stalls.

August 19, 2025 Page 6 of 16 PB-25-04 76 Ashland Avenue – Blue Violet Grow, LLC Block 62, Lot 22.01 105 Grove Street, Suite 3, Montclair, NJ 07042 • Phone: (973) 954-2677 • www.NishuaneGroup.com o Two (2) NLS Lighting Single Wall-Mounted T2 Light fixtures are proposed, with one (1) proposed on the southern façade of the existing dwelling on the northern side of the proposed ingress off of Ashland Avenue and one (1) proposed on the eastern façade of the proposed delivery room located under the canopy area. o Two (2) NLS Lighting Single Corner Left Wall-Mounted Light fixtures are proposed, on the western side façade of the main building. o Two (2) NLS Lighting Single Right Corner Optics Wall-Mounted Light fixtures are proposed, on the western and northern side façades in the northwestern corner of the main building. o Three (3) NLS Lighting Single Canopy Light fixtures are proposed under the canopy area. o Six (6) NLS Lighting Single Egress Wall-Mounted Light fixtures are proposed, with three (3) proposed on the northern side façade and two (2) on the southern façade of the main building.