MECHANIC FALLS — The Town Council accepted the draft land use marijuana ordinances submitted by the Planning Board at a special session Wednesday night.

The Planning Board unanimously passed the ordinances Monday.

The regulations limit storefronts, be they adult-use or medical retail operations, to four. Retail facilities would be allowed in rural, general development, highway commercial, special commercial and general industrial zoning districts. They would be prohibited in general residential zones and the three downtown business zoned districts.

There is no limit to the number of marijuana caregivers or medical dispensaries, according to Town Manager Zakk Maher, as long as they follow the guidelines of the conditional use permit.

The ordinances also specify conditions and locations for medical and adult-use marijuana manufacturing, testing and cultivation.

A proposed fee schedule proposed for the ordinances is:

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• Medical marijuana cultivation, annual fee of $250.

• Adult-use marijuana cultivation facilities, annual fee based on size of facility.

• Tier 1, up to 500 square feet of mature plant canopy, $1,500.

• Tier 2, 501 to 2,000 square feet of mature plant canopy, $2,500.

• Tier 3, 2,001 to 7,000 square feet of mature plant canopy, $5,000.

• Tier 4, 7,001 to 20,000 square feet of mature plant canopy, $12,000.

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• Marijuana manufacturing facility, $2,500.

• Marijuana testing facility, $500.

• Marijuana retail facility, $1,500.

The ordinances also designate ventilation and security requirements.

A public hearing on the ordinances is set for 6:30 p.m. Monday, Dec. 2, in the Council Chamber of the Municipal Building.

Maher said copies of the ordinances are available at town offices and can be downloaded from the town website.

In other business, Water Department Superintendent Steve French presented the department’s 2020 budget of $392,617.39, which is $3,375.67 more than this year. It will get a public hearing Dec. 2.

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