The Standish Town Council is considering a new ordinance that would place a variety of restrictions on medical marijuana dispensaries.

There are no dispensaries in Standish, and according to Town Manager Gordon Billington, the town has not received any applications to construct a dispensary. Maine legalized the use of medical marijuana in 1999, and amended the law in 2009 and 2011 to allow dispensaries and commercial grow operations.

The ordinance, submitted March 10 by Councilor Michael Blanck, would allow only one medical marijuana dispensary in Standish, and would require that the dispensary be sited at least 250 feet from all schools, houses of religious worship, recreation facilities, halfway houses, correctional facilities, methadone clinics, substance abuse treatment centers, and licensed child-care facilities.

Blanck could not be reached for comment on the proposed ordinance. According to Billington, the ordinance represents an effort to control any future development of dispensaries in Standish, and to limit the emission of odors associated with marijuana cultivation and distribution to specific areas.

“We felt that we should restrict the locations,” Billington said. “Keep it away from children. Keep it away from schools. Keep it away from somebody’s home.”

At the council’s regular meeting Tuesday, Pam Slattery-Thomas cautioned the council not to confuse medical and recreational marijuana uses.

“It has been legalized,” Slattery-Thomas said. “Therefore why are there restrictions on it if it’s legal?”

Slattery-Thomas, who works as a librarian in Hiram, said there were unfounded concerns about marijuana odors when a dispensary recently came to Hiram.

“One of the worries was that the smell might come out of the building and if it was near a school the kids will be smelling it,” Slattery-Thomas said. “It hasn’t happened here. So I think that those kinds of misunderstandings should be addressed before they put too many restrictions on it.”

After introducing the proposed ordinance Tuesday, the council is scheduled to conduct a “first reading” of the ordinance on May 12.

The ordinance also limits hours of operation from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., and requires extensive surveillance cameras, alarm systems, and deadbolt locks. It prohibits on-site marijuana consumption, with the exception of dispensary employees who are qualifying patients, who are allowed to consume edible marijuana on the premises. The proposed ordinance also requires that the dispensary’s public communications use the term “medical marijuana” – not simply “marijuana” – to describe the products on sale.

“No signage or advertising shall use the word ‘marijuana’ or ‘cannabis,’ or any other words, phrase or symbol commonly understood to refer to marijuana unless such word, phrase or symbol is immediately preceded by the word ‘medical’ in type and font that is at least as readily discernible as all other words, phrase or symbols on the sign,” the ordinance reads.