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Caribou planning board recommends zoning updates, including replacing 'marijuana' with 'cannabis' and a ban on adult-use establishments
Summary
The Planning Board voted unanimously to recommend that the City Council adopt revisions to Chapters 7 and 13 that update licensing and zoning rules, add an article to Chapter 7 prohibiting adult‑use cannabis establishments, and replace references to "marijuana" with "cannabis." The measure will go to City Council for a March hearing.
The Caribou Planning Board voted unanimously Wednesday to recommend City Council adopt a set of zoning and licensing updates that replace outdated language and add new provisions on cannabis uses.
The board moved to repeal and replace Chapter 7 Article 11, add Article 13 as proposed, replace Chapter 13 section 739, and amend the land‑use table in section 741 as written in the packet. The motion explicitly included changing instances of the word "marijuana" to "cannabis" to align the ordinance with recent statutory terminology.
Ana Rosa Whitman of Northstar Planning, who joined by video, said the packet "brings it up to date with the latest versions of chapter 7 and chapter 13, including adding an article to chapter 7 to prohibit, adults use cannabis establishments." Staff told the board the change is largely terminological and does not alter the intent of the regulatory updates but will align local language with state usage.
Eric, a city staffer who presented the schedule for the legislative path, asked the board whether it was comfortable forwarding the draft to the March City Council meeting and suggested rescheduling the March planning board meeting to ensure proper public notice. The board approved the recommendation motion by roll call and the packet will be forwarded to the City Council for public hearing and consideration.
Next steps: the board’s recommendation will be transmitted to City Council for a March public hearing and any amendments made there would return for further planning board review if necessary.
