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Cestaro and Strategic Acquisitions-GM v. FFDN EJV, Bantry Bay Ventures and Old Saybrook Zoning Commission
Old Saybrook property owners appealed the zoning commission's approval of a Fine Fettle equity joint venture cannabis store. One plaintiff was dismissed for lack of standing in December 2023 and the remaining plaintiff withdrew the appeal in March 2024.
- Source
- Connecticut Superior Court, Middletown
- Files
- 3
Docket: MMX-CV23-6036860-S (Middletown).
Status: CLOSED. Strategic Acquisitions dismissed December 19, 2023; withdrawal of the zoning appeal approved by the court March 4, 2024.
Parties. Plaintiffs Christopher P. Cestaro of 280 Boston Post Road and Strategic Acquisitions-GM, LLC of 210 Boston Post Road, Old Saybrook. Defendants FFDN EJV, LLC and Bantry Bay Ventures, LLC (both at Fine Fettle’s 40 Woodland Street, Hartford address) and the Town of Old Saybrook Zoning Commission.
What the appeal says. The plaintiffs challenged the commission’s decision on the Fine Fettle-affiliated application for a cannabis establishment on Boston Post Road. The record was returned in two sets, labeled “Approval” and “Denial,” showing the commission acted on more than one application.
What happened. Filed March 6, 2023. The commission returned a large record in June 2023. The plaintiffs briefed the appeal in October 2023 and applied for a temporary restraining order under C.G.S. § 8-8(h). The defendants moved to dismiss plaintiff Strategic Acquisitions; Judge Rupal Shah granted that motion December 19, 2023 and denied reargument January 22, 2024. The court also quashed a subpoena the plaintiffs served on the commission and denied a motion to supplement the record (February 5, 2024). On February 7, 2024 the remaining plaintiff moved to withdraw the land-use appeal; the court approved the withdrawal March 4, 2024.
Documents below are published exactly as they appear on the Judicial Branch’s civil case look-up (civilinquiry.jud.ct.gov). The full docket for every case is public; CannaTimes publishes the leading complaint and the outcome documents, and describes the rest in the text above.
Files in This Collection
- Court filingConnecticut Superior Court, Middletown
Cestaro v. FFDN EJV: Summons and Complaint (03/06/2023)
Summons and complaint, filed 03/06/2023 in Cestaro v. FFDN EJV, Connecticut Superior Court docket MMX-CV23-6036860-S (entry 100.30). Public court record downloaded from the Judicial Branch civil case look-up and published as filed.
Dated March 6, 2023PDF, 17 pp., 3.3 MBID ctc-2026-0345 - Court filingConnecticut Superior Court, Middletown
Cestaro v. FFDN EJV: Order (12/19/2023)
Order, filed 12/19/2023 in Cestaro v. FFDN EJV, Connecticut Superior Court docket MMX-CV23-6036860-S (entry 126.10). Public court record downloaded from the Judicial Branch civil case look-up and published as filed.
Dated December 19, 2023PDF, 2 pp., 6 KBID ctc-2026-0346 - Court filingConnecticut Superior Court, Middletown
Cestaro v. FFDN EJV: Motion to Withdraw Land Use Appeal (02/07/2024)
Motion to withdraw land use appeal, filed 02/07/2024 in Cestaro v. FFDN EJV, Connecticut Superior Court docket MMX-CV23-6036860-S (entry 144.00). Public court record downloaded from the Judicial Branch civil case look-up and published as filed.
Dated February 7, 2024PDF, 3 pp., 49 KBID ctc-2026-0347
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