ANDOVER — Project Manager Allie Burke of River Valley Healthy Communities of Rumford spoke with selectmen Tuesday about their “options and chances to regulate what could happen” in their town regarding community health and safety concerns of marijuana growth and sales, especially following the referendum vote in November.
Burke said that small, rural towns like Andover may not think there is a need to prepare for how (the legalization of marijuana) or medical marijuana will affect their town.
“It is going to affect everybody,” Burke said, “and we don’t know, come November, whether (the vote) is going to pass or not, but if it does pass, small towns (may want to) consider options or chances to regulate what could happen in their town.”
In Rumford, a dispensary for medical marijuana is in close proximity to the town recreation center and because there is no ordinance set in place with the town, it can’t do anything about the medical marijuana-growing operation, Burke said.
“If there was an ordinance in place, then that medical marijuana-growing operation could not be within 500 feet of the rec center, or a park, or a school, or a church,” she said.
Burke provided a handout list from River Valley Healthy Communities which outlined ideas on how municipalities in Maine may want to address (medical marijuana) caregiver (and grower) operations in their communities:
• (Set) zoning ordinances which outline where caregivers may operate; tobacco and drug-free zones around playgrounds, schools, day care centers and other public facilities;
• Require air-filtration systems that filter exhaust and avoid mold in all caregiver or grower operations;
• Prohibit packaging design which appeals to youths. Marijuana would be dispensed in a single dose which is clearly labeled.
• Require a victual license;
• Require that lab reports be readily available for review by consumers;
• Require annual licensing for caregivers with regular inspection for adherence to municipal building codes and Board of Pesticides Control codes;
• Review city building codes to ensure they properly address safety risks unique to caregiver and grower operations (electric, water abatement, residue, run-off, ground filtration, etc.;
• Ban using any form (smoking, vaping or edibles) of prescription marijuana in private clubs;
• Ban using any form (smoking, vaping or edibles) of marijuana in any public places or in vehicles with children (follow tobacco law guidelines); and
• Establish guidelines for the manner and display of sale (of marijuana).
Selectman Jim Adler said that the town had a case where someone was a marijuana grower who utilized a building which they said was for storage but wasn’t. He called the Oxford County Sheriff’s Office to inquire about what could be done about the issue.
“I was told by that deputy (that) they are not required to tell the town they’re doing it,” he said. “They are not required to tell you where they’re doing it; you can’t restrict them, you can’t stop them, (because) it was his building and his property.”
Burke then said that if the town had an ordinance in place their chief enforcement officer could enter the building to “make sure his building was up to code in terms of electricity and security; outside within certain parameters and inside, so you could go in under those guidelines.”
Adler responded by saying that the town does not have building codes.
“Another problem we have is we’re way overdue on a comprehensive plan which means we can’t zone any building that’s without a comprehensive plan to begin with,” Adler said.
Without town ordinances in place to regulate where marijuana can be grown or sold, “you very well could have a pot shop right next to your ice cream store after November because you may not have an ordinance in place to regulate that,” Burke said.
In other news, the selectmen appointed Barbara Dakin as deputy treasurer for the town.
mhutchinson@sunmediagroup.net
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