Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Cannabis Licensing topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Ellsworth council clears six adult‑use cannabis applications for lottery after legal review
Summary
After a public hearing in which residents raised concerns about overlapping ownership and operator experience, the council conditionally approved six adult‑use cannabis applications for placement in a lottery, following legal advice that separate LLC applicants that appear related upstream meet ordinance requirements.
The Ellsworth City Council voted June 15 to conditionally approve six adult‑use cannabis retailer applications and authorize the clerk's office to place them into the city’s lottery process.
Staff reported that each application met the city’s performance standards and had undergone legal review and code checks. Several public commenters—including owners of existing cannabis businesses—urged the council to prefer applicants with proven experience and questioned whether two Lighthouse Holdings applications represented overlapping ownership interests. Bonnie Devono, owner of Royal Leaf LLC, and other business owners argued that adult‑use retail differs materially from medical operations and said experienced adult‑use operators should be prioritized.
City Attorney Tim P's advised the council that under the city’s current ordinance the licensing review focuses on ownership of the applying LLC rather than upstream corporate structures; his review found no legal grounds to disqualify the Lighthouse applicants that use distinct LLCs. He also noted that the council’s approach was intentionally cautious—using performance standards to qualify applicants and letting a lottery determine which licenses proceed to final city approval.
The council’s conditional approval moves the six applicants into a formal lottery; winners will then be required to finish licensing, inspections and payment steps before the council gives final approval. Council members and staff said they aimed to avoid subjectively choosing winners and minimize legal challenge risk by relying on a standards‑then‑lottery system.
What’s next: the clerk’s office will run the lottery; lottery winners will have a fixed period to complete licensing requirements and return for final council approval.
