SHARON — Voters have approved the sale of retail cannabis in Sharon nearly two months after narrowly rejecting a similar measure.

The vote was 295 to 196 in favor, according to results provided by Sharon Town Clerk Catherine Sartor after the polls closed on Tuesday. More than 200 people cast ballots in the revote compared to the initial vote in October, when voters narrowly rejected allowing retail cannabis sales in town by 137 to 135.

The results were welcome news to Sean Trombly, who hopes to sell cannabis at the former Sandy’s diner building on Route 14, which he purchased over the summer. Trombly, of Chelsea, runs Trombly House of Cannabis, a cannabis cultivation business.

“Super excited, super grateful,” Trombly said in a Wednesday phone interview. “Residents really came together and got it done.”

Sharon now joins Upper Valley towns Bethel, Bradford, Fairlee, Hartford, Randolph, Strafford, Windsor and Woodstock allowing retail cannabis sales.

After purchasing Sandy’s, Trombly began collecting signatures from residents to petition the town to allow cannabis to be sold in Sharon. After the first effort failed by two votes on Oct. 15, Trombly submitted a petition for a revote.

“I think the change was that we lost by two votes last time and I think that really hit home with a lot of residents,” Trombly said.

He was surprised that the measure was approved by nearly 100 votes, he said, adding that he expected it to be closer to a 50-vote difference.

“I think it was a reminder that in these small towns every vote counts and it does matter,” said Trombly, who is also planning on selling food and ice cream at the building.

While the town vote went in his favor, Trombly does face challenges with the Vermont Cannabis Control Board, which issues licenses for cannabis businesses. In September, the board voted to put a pause on issuing retail cannabis licenses as of Oct. 25 due to concerns about the “oversaturation in the regulated cannabis market,” according to a news release.

Trombly said he submitted his license application prior to Oct. 25 and is waiting to hear back from the state.

“We look forward to serving the community no later than the spring,” he said.

The Vermont Cannabis Control Board said it “anticipated in late spring 2025,” that it will reopen retail license applications after new siting rules take effect, according to a Nov. 20 announcement. “However, no specific date has been set, as this timeline is subject to the ongoing rule-making process,” the board added.

Earlier this year, the Legislature approved Act 166 which ordered the Vermont Cannabis Control Board to create rules for where cannabis businesses are located in the state to better address “location or siting requirements that increase the geographic distribution of new cannabis retail establishments based on population and market needs,” according to the law.

According to state law, petitioners cannot request another vote for reconsideration until a year has passed, Sharon Town Administrator Nicola Shipman said.

Liz Sauchelli can be reached at esauchelli@vnews.com or 603-727-3221.