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Stockton council imposes 90‑day moratorium on new cannabis applications and authorizes contract spending for review
Summary
After its Cannabis Review Committee found two prior applications failed to meet minimum scores, Stockton Borough Council on Feb. 9 authorized the QPA to award contracts to support a review of the borough’s cannabis ordinance and imposed a 90‑day moratorium on the solicitation and acceptance of new cannabis business applications.
Stockton Borough Council moved on Feb. 9 to pause new cannabis applications while it revises and reviews the borough’s cannabis regulations and Request for Cannabis Applications (RFA) materials.
Attorney Lisa Maddox told the public that the council had completed solicitation and evaluation of earlier applications and that executive‑session discussion would focus on legal advice and options after the review process. The Cannabis Review Committee concluded neither of the two applications submitted by the Aug. 6, 2025 deadline achieved the committee’s minimum score for a local‑support resolution; Council previously accepted that recommendation and declined to issue resolutions of support. Council now directed staff to refine the ordinance and application materials before reopening the process.
By Resolution 2026‑39 the council authorized Stockton’s Qualified Purchasing Agent (CFO Diane McDaniel) to make one or more contract awards below the bid threshold to obtain professional or consulting services to assist the Cannabis Review Committee in analyzing the ordinance, regulations and RFA documentation. The resolution permits contract awards in consultation with the committee and subject to borough‑attorney approval.
Council then passed Resolution 2026‑40, imposing a temporary 90‑day moratorium on the solicitation and acceptance of new cannabis business applications “to enable Council and the Cannabis Review Committee to complete an appropriate analysis and review of the borough’s cannabis ordinance, cannabis regulations and Request for Cannabis Applications documentation.” The moratorium can be extended by later resolution if more time is needed.
Votes: The proceedings on resolutions related to cannabis were taken after executive session. On recorded roll calls Fisher recused on the cannabis-related votes; otherwise council approved both resolutions (final tallies recorded as Ayes 5, Nays 0 where roll calls were recorded).
What this means: Stockton will not accept new cannabis applications for at least 90 days while the borough reworks its local rules and application materials and may retain outside consultants on contracts below the formal bid threshold to assist the Cannabis Review Committee.
—Attribution: Attorney Lisa Maddox summarized the legal framing for the executive session and Council’s next steps; formal actions are recorded in Resolutions 2026‑39 and 2026‑40 in the meeting minutes.
