HomeMy WebLinkAbout2020-01-07 Planning Board Minutes
PLANNING BOARD
MEETING MINUTES
TUESDAY,JANUARY 7, 2020,7:00 P.M.
THIRD FLOOR COUNCIL CHAMBERS, CITY HALL
Board Members Present:Ken Huhn, Chair, Nelson Durgin, Vice Chair, Ted Brush, Ronda
Hogan, Donald Meagher, Michael Bazinet
City Staff Present: Anne Krieg, Planning Officer; Paul Nicklas, City Solicitor
Chair Huhn called the meeting to order at 7:00P.M.
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PUBLIC HEARINGS
1.Land Development Code Text Amendment Change –Marijuana –
To Amend Chapter 165, Land Development Code, and Chapter 177, Marijuana, by Allowing
Nonconforming Medical Marijuana Businesses to Convert to Recreational Marijuana Businesses.
This ordinance amendment would allow nonconforming medical marijuana stores tobecome
recreational marijuana stores and vice versa.
City Solicitor Paul Nicklas reviewed the purpose and tenets of the ordinance, as well as the history of
marijuana business regulation. He noted that medical was allowed first and businesses opened, and
then, recreation was more recently allowed by the state. As the code and regulations changed,
nonconformities arose.
Planning Board members asked for clarification of a few items such as expansion of space and
separation of uses within a building.
Nicholas Spinney, an operator of a marijuana testing facility in Bangor, spoke in favor of the
ordinance. He noted some of the differences in retail and recreational marijuana as to testing and
age limits.
Winona Polanski, manager of a medical marijuana business on State Street, also spoke in favor of the
ordinance change. She noted that people with medical cards have let their cards lapse since the
state has made recreational/retail lawful so they are waiting for retail marijuana to be available.
Planning Officer Anne Krieg reviewed staff comments which included a summary of what non-
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conforming means.
Member Brush moved to recommend the Land Development Code Text Amendment as written.
Member Durgin seconded the motion. All were in favor of the motion (Chair Huhn, Members Durgin,
Brush and Associate Member Bazinet.)
OTHER BUSINESS
2.Meeting Minutes –December 17,2019Meeting Minutes were approved with no changes.
3.Adjournment–Meeting adjourned at 7:25 PM