SACO — The city has put in place an newly revised temporary ordinance requiring marijuana growers to get a license from City Hall.

Maine voters legalized marijuana in the November 2016 election. Private marijuana use is legal for those 21 and older, but the sale of recreational marijuana won’t be permitted until next year, after the state approves regulations.

The City Council on Monday night passed an emergency ordinance that requires “all persons and parties who grow, cultivate, harvest, manage, process, transfer, exchange or distribute marijuana, or any marijuana product, or material or medication derived thereon” to register with and receive a license from the city. 

The ordinance does not require a license for personal use of marijuana within one’s home “provided there is no associated growing, cultivating, harvesting, managing, processing, transferring, exchanging or distributing of marijuana or marijuana products.”

Licenses will run for a year and must be renewed annually for license holders to continue operations.

Under the ordinance, residents in single-family structures can grow marijuana in their homes for their own personal use or the personal use of a family member living in the home. Anyone who grows marijuana in a home may not increase their electrical service beyond 200 amps. Growing marijuana in multi-family residences is not allowed.

Marijuana businesses must be located in the city’s Industrial 1 or Industrial 2 zone.

The ordinance will replace a previous temporary ordinance regulating marijuana businesses in the city.

City Administrator Kevin Sutherland said the city is taking a hands-on approach to regulating marijuana businesses so that it knows where such businesses are located and be cognizant of issues like electrical capacity to prevent accidents like house fires.

“We’re not here to say don’t do this, we’re here to say hey, you’re here now, let’s make sure it’s safe,” said Sutherland.

Sutherland said he had spoken to four local marijuana growers who are “okay” with the temporary ordinance.

A draft of state regulations has been recently released, he said, and he will work with marijuana growers in the community and put together a task force to help create a permanent ordinance that meets the needs of the community and allows marijuana-related businesses to be productive tax paying members of the community.

— Staff Writer Liz Gotthelf can be contacted at 282-1535, ext. 325 or egotthelf@journaltribune.com.