On the eve of Election Day, the Westbrook City Council approved a moratorium on retail marijuana establishments and marijuana social clubs.

City Administrator Jerre R. Bryant confirmed in an email that the council approved the moratorium on a unanimous vote during its regularly scheduled council meeting Monday night. The moratorium takes effect immediately.

If voters legalize marijuana Tuesday, the city would impose a 180-day ban on any recreational marijuana facilities, including social clubs, growing operations and retail stores.

Several other Maine communities – including Portland, Saco, Gray, Brewer and Bangor – have enacted or are considering similar moratoriums.

Those businesses wouldn’t be able to open immediately, and the moratorium would give cities and towns time to develop zoning for those uses.

Westbrook officials have signaled they would like to pass an outright ban.

“I hope we don’t have to do anything on a local level,” Council President Brendan Rielly said last month. “I hope it fails on Nov. 8. If it doesn’t, I hope we will ban it.”

Question 1 on Tuesday’s ballot asks voters if they want to legalize marijuana for adults 21 and over.

If the referendum proposal passes, adults would be able to possess up to 2 1/2 ounces, grow their own plants and buy marijuana from retail stores licensed by the state. While marijuana use would not be permitted in public, social clubs would be allowed. The initiative also would impose a 10 percent sales tax on marijuana.

Muncipalities could set their own regulations for where businesses associated with recreational marijuana could open or ban them entirely, though private use and possession would still be legal.

Staff Writer Dennis Hoey contributed to this report.

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