Planning board recommends city council ban cannabis social clubs in all zoning districts

The Gardiner Planning Board voted unanimously to forward ordinance amendments that would define "cannabis social club" and prohibit such clubs in all zoning districts to the City Council with a recommendation to approve.

Ordinance Review had recommended adding in Section 17 a definition — "an establishment or part of an establishment used for the consumption of cannabis products and or its derivatives, also referred to as a cannabis social club" — and then marking the use as "not allowed" across the land use table. The chair of Ordinance Review presented that change and the Planning Board discussed whether it should be permitted.

Planning board members expressed safety and enforcement concerns. Debbie Willis, planning board chair, said she was uncomfortable with allowing lounges because, unlike alcohol, the state has not established implicit impairment standards and enforcement is limited. "They've legalized it, but they have not, they don't have impairment standards," Willis said, adding that municipal enforcement would be more difficult than enforcement in an alcohol‑licensed setting.

Other members said they were not opposed to prohibition and that the city can revisit the ordinance if circumstances change. The board voted to forward the amendment package to the City Council with a recommendation that it pass; the council will hold two readings and accept public comment before final action.

Outcome: Planning Board moved and seconded to forward the ordinance amendments defining cannabis social clubs and prohibiting them in all districts to the City Council with a recommendation to pass; the board recorded the vote as unanimous.