FORT FAIRFIELD, Maine — The town of Fort Fairfield is considering an ordinance prohibiting recreational marijuana businesses, in an effort to be proactive, said Town Manager Jim Risner.
The proposed ordinance would prohibit all kinds of recreational marijuana businesses within all of Fort Fairfield, including retail marijuana stores and social clubs, as well as growing, manufacturing and testing facilities.
The proposal originated as a local response to last year’s narrow statewide vote legalizing recreational marijuana in Maine, Risner said. In Fort Fairfield, 59 percent of voters opposed the legalization initiative, while 41 percent voted in favor.
Risner added town officials wanted to get in front of the issue, as the state legislature figures out how recreational marijuana will be regulated.
“Even though the state’s taking time to figure out the details, we knew we needed to get an ordinance in in place,” Risner said.
“I think it’s the town taking a proactive stance while the state determines what it wants to do. This will get citizen input on the ordinance.”
“The town can always modify the ordinance,” he added. “It’s always simpler to lessen the restrictions than to become more restrictive.”
The town’s proposed ordinance is based on a model from the Maine Municipal Association and covers recreational marijuana businesses, which local governments can ban or regulate under the law passed by voters last year. Under the state law, individuals over the age of 21 may possess and grow their own marijuana regardless of local bans on recreational marijuana businesses.
Fort Fairfield will hold a public hearing on the proposed ordinance July 11 at 6 p.m. The town council could vote on the ordinance as early as July 19, its next regular meeting.
