SACO — Due to an increase of medical marijuana growers interested in establishing facilities in Saco, the city is considering a six-month moratorium on new facilities.

Medical marijuana caregivers are licensed by the state to grow six plants each for up to five patients. Many caregivers grow their plants at their homes, but an increasing number are considering growing their plants at multi-caregiver facilities.

Saco City Administrator Kevin Sutherland said the city is considering a moratorium that would allow more time for staff to craft ordinances that would regulate zoning for new caregiving facilities.

Sutherland said the city had been working under a legal opinion from 2012 that says the state regulates caregivers and caregiver facilities, but local municipalities do not have any authority over them. However, city attorney Tim Murphy stated in a recent legal opinion that municipalities do have zoning authority over caregiver facilities.

The rules are different for marijuana dispensaries, which are governed by state law, allowing one dispensary per eight zones in Maine. The closest dispensary to Saco is in Biddeford.

“We’re up against a lot of caregivers (interested in) coming in right now,” said Sutherland. The city has recently received about five or six calls from people interested in starting caregiving facilities in the city.

There are a few caregiving facilities already in the city, according to Code Enforcement Officer Dick Lambert. Those already in existence would not be affected by the moratorium.

One concern, said Sutherland, is if the industrial zones would be able handle the amount of electricity needed for caregiver facilities.

The city is expected to vote on the proposed moratorium on June 6.

Other York County municipalities are also wrestling with the issue. Biddeford is currently under a moratorium for new medical marijuana growing facilities, and Old Orchard Beach approved new zoning to regulate caregiving facilities last year.

In Sanford in February, a similar moratorium was extended by six months to give the city time to work on zoning and licensing issues. Last week, the Sanford City Council agreed to continue working on some key issues, including odor control, inspections and a controversial proposal that would allow patients to pick up their marijuana in a location separate from the growing location, rather than rely on delivery.

— Staff Writer Liz Gotthelf can be contacted at 282-1535, ext. 325 or [email protected]. Senior Staff Writer Tammy Wells contributed to this story.