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Ellsworth adopts adult-use cannabis license ordinance; fees, lottery and zoning steps remain
Summary
Council voted to add adult-use cannabis store licensing to Chapter 14, set an annual $10,000 license fee, and approved a three-step implementation (license ordinance, performance standards, zoning overlay). Council directed staff to correct hours and to proceed with planning-board review for performance standards and a zoning map before final adoption.
The Ellsworth City Council on Jan. 20 approved amendments to City Code Chapter 14 to add licensing language for adult-use cannabis stores, including definitions, a $10,000 annual license fee, and an appendix establishing a lottery process for limited available licenses.
Danielle Gift, Director of Urban Planning and Development, told council the change is the first of three coordinated steps: (1) adopt licensing language in Chapter 14, (2) finalize performance standards through planning-board review, and (3) adopt a zoning overlay that restricts permitted locations (primarily along High Street). Gift said that hours-of-operation language would be corrected to align with state standards before final adoption.
Council members praised staff work on the ordinance and said the separate performance-standards and zoning steps will provide opportunities for public input. Councilor Smith said the prior workshop made the vote possible and gave him confidence that community feedback had been integrated.
The ordinance includes a voluntary transfer provision allowing the one existing municipal dispensary to opt into new adult-use licensing if it meets state separation and entrance rules. Gift said the city will mail required notices for any zoning changes in March alongside other land-use updates to reduce mailing costs.
Council approved the ordinance and set an effective-adoption target tied to a scheduled publication date; staff will pursue planning-board review of the associated performance standards and an overlay map to finalize where adult-use stores may operate.
