The Presque Isle City Council approved a temporary moratorium on Wednesday halting new adult use and medical marijuana businesses.
The moratorium would last up to 12 months and would allow the Planning Board to consider changes to the ordinance governing the sale of the substance that has made the city the cannabis hub of northern Maine.
Presque Isle’s permissive cannabis strategy has filled downtown spaces, but the City Council raised the possibility of a moratorium in November after approving a license for the 10th marijuana business in the city of 9,000. Once that medical dispensary opens, Presque Isle will rival the marijuana scene of some of Maine’s major cities.
Nine of Presque Isle’s 10 cannabis shops are concentrated along Main Street. Councilors in November said the lineup has “changed the face” of the area.
Presque Isle is one of only four Aroostook County communities to opt into the state’s adult use cannabis program, which Maine fully implemented in late 2020. The others are Grand Isle, Washburn and Wade.
Other Aroostook towns have implemented strict marijuana ordinances. Caribou does not allow adult use shops and caps the number of medical dispensaries at two, which it currently has. Houlton recently adjusted its regulations to allow medical shops only, and Fort Fairfield banned marijuana businesses altogether.
The moratorium would be a planning tool to “pause growth while we review and assess capacity, determine unintended economic development consequences in our Downtown, and gives the City time to make sure the rules that regulate these businesses are actually working for Presque Isle and reflect local conditions,” according to a memo distributed to the council before Wednesday’s meeting.
The city’s marijuana ordinance is effective until next June.
The pause was proposed at around 6 to 12 months. City Manager Sonja Eyler asked the council to specify the moratorium’s length.
“I see no problem with a 12-month moratorium,” Council Chairman Jeff Willette said. “It would give us a chance to analyze everything that needs to be analyzed. I don’t see a 12-month moratorium as being all that crazy.”
No members of the public commented.
After minimal discussion, Council Craig Green moved to approve the moratorium as presented, lasting up to 12 months, which passed with a unanimous 7-0 vote.
In other business, the council conducted a first public hearing on a revised vacant building ordinance which would levy fees to the owners of long-empty properties. The second public hearing will take place on Wednesday, April 1.
