LIVERMORE — Selectpersons Tuesday voted unanimously to proceed with the steps necessary to adopt a marijuana moratorium ordinance.

The ordinance would give the town 180 days during which it wouldn’t approve any new businesses that are marijuana-related, such as bars and retail social clubs.

Administrative Assistant Amy Byron said much was still unknown following the Nov. 8 vote to legalize recreational marijuana.

“It will give the town and the state time to figure it all out,” Byron said. “The state’s in the process of a recount now.”

Byron presented the board with marijuana moratorium ordinances from the towns of Farmington, New Gloucester, Gray and Standish.

Selectperson Timothy Kachnovich noted they were very similar.

Byron said the documents had been drafted by personnel at the Maine Municipal Association. They would draw up a similar document for the town of Livermore.  

Byron said to adopt a town marijuana moratorium ordinance, the Maine Municipal Association would first draw up the ordinance on the board’s request. A special town meeting would be held for voters to review, discuss and vote on the ordinance. Postings must be made seven days before the meeting.

“I strongly recommend that we pursue this,” Selectperson Tom Gould said. “It buys us time to figure it out. It protects the town.”

Gould suggested taking up the issue at the special town meeting already being planned in January. The meeting is needed for voters to approve the dissolution of Oxford County Regional Recycling Corp. 

“Gov. (Paul) LePage hasn’t signed (legal marijuana) into law yet,” Gould said. “If he does, we can be prepared to move sooner. Lining it up with the already planned meeting would save the town a few hundred bucks.”

If voters adopt the ordinance, it would take effect on the day of the vote and remain in effect 180 days from that date unless extended, repealed or modified by the town or selectpersons. 

pharnden@sunmediagroup.net