Saco City Council has begun a conversation about whether the city should allow some, all or none of the four adult use recreational marijuana categories of businesses to locate in the city. Joe Phelan/Kennebec Journal Photo

SACO — Should the city of Saco allow businesses that engage in the cultivation, manufacture, testing or retail sale of adult use recreational marijuana to locate within its boundaries?

City councilors began discussion of that question Dec. 13. The council may vote on a resolve that does not actually trigger the opt-in clause that permits the businesses, but gives guidance to the Planning Board, which would draft proposed ordinances governing the issue.

Currently, the city permits caregiver facilities and dispensaries for medical marijuana, regulated  locally through zoning which spells out where they may be situated, along with rules for licensing and inspection.

“I think moving forward with (City Planner Jason Garnham’s) suggestion of a resolution up or down in favor of opting in or not sets the Planning Board on its way on a direction,” Mayor William Doyle said.

Doyle suggested surveying the council “on where you are” on the topic.

Councilor Jodi MacPhail outlined the background.

“The Planning Board expressed support for ‘opting in’ to allow recreational marijuana businesses to operate in Saco during their September 14, 2021, meeting,” said MacPhail, reading from the council’s backup material. “However, due to the sensitive and potentially controversial nature of this topic, the Planning Board requests additional guidance from councilors prior to developing an ordinance for this purpose.”

“The big question is do we opt in,” said Councilor Jim Purdy. “I don’t feel strongly about it but I’m okay with it. It is legal in Maine, obviously there are some difficulties with federal law.”

The questions about where and how many adult use businesses are topics for future discussion, Purdy said.

Councilor Joseph Gunn said he is “no prohibitionist” when it comes to marijuana and asked about what sort of feedback the Planning Board was looking for.

The Planning Board wanted to know whether a proposed ordinance has a chance of passing before they undertake drafting one and going through the public hearing process, Garnham said.

Councilor Philip Hatch said he wanted his constituents to guide him on the question of opting in.

“I see no need for the retail side of this, we already have it through medical,” said Councilor Nathan Johnston. “People explain to me how easy it is to get that medical card. We’re just making it simpler, and I think it’s unnecessary.”

Johnston asked if it was possible to opt into some of the provisions of adult recreational use, rather than the full package.

Garnham said yes.

For instance, in Kennebunk the Board of Selectmen approved an amendment to the zoning ordinance to allow a testing facility in July 2020, but the town does not allow other types of adult recreational use marijuana businesses.

The city might want to allow testing, Johnston said, since jobs associated with retail sales of marijuana are “few and far between.”

“I’ve not had anyone pounding down my door, asking for retail marijuana,” he said.

Councilor Michael Burman said he has not found that Saco citizens are engaged on the topic of recreational adult use marijuana, but noted that to him “cannabis seems safer in almost every way in comparison to alcohol.”

“In a community with gas stations that sell liquor and (where there are) likely more bars than churches.” Burman said, adding that there seems to be a lack of a compelling interest in prohibiting adult use recreational marijuana.

“In the coming weeks or months,” Doyle said, the council would likely see a draft motion for a resolution along with a survey.