SANFORD — The Sanford City Council approved a new, 180-day marijuana moratorium this week, but modified its original plan to exempt medical marijuana growers who have already invested and are in the process of setting up their businesses.

The moratorium includes a ban on new medical marijuana production facilities, registered caregiver retail stores, registered dispensaries, marijuana testing facilities, and marijuana manufacturing facilities.

Those who have already been dealing with the city will be exempted.

The purpose of the moratorium, City Manager Steve Buck said, is because two state laws approved in the most recent legislative session changed portions of the previous medical marijuana laws. City regulations must be adjusted to include the changes. As well, the city doesn’t currently have regulations for some aspects of the marijuana industry.

The moratorium will last for 180 days, although some of the new regulations might be completed sooner. If so, portions of the moratorium could be lifted on a piecemeal basis as regulations are crafted for each category, councilors said.

The exemption for some growers came about through a meeting between the City Council’s zoning subcommittee and medical marijuana task force that took place after the Oct. 2 City Council meeting when the proposed moratorium was introduced, Buck said. The exemption was added to recognize medical marijuana growers who have already made investments in the community and are “on the books at this time,” either with building permits and/or in the process of licensing their businesses.

“Everyone seemed to the aligned,” said Mayor Tom Cote.

On Oct. 2, Linzee Holden told the council that she was in the process of renovating 22 Smada Drive into a medical marijuana production facility and had invested about $550,000.

A number of other growers said they had also made investments in production.

On Tuesday, the six councilors present voted unanimously to approve the moratorium. Councilor Joseph Hanslip was absent.

The moratorium is retroactive to Sept. 21.

— Senior Staff Writer Tammy Wells can be contacted at 780-9016 or twells@journaltribune.com.