Lisbon — Town officials now have a timeline for when they expect to roll out new rules regulating medical marijuana storefronts in town.

Town Councilors enacted a 6-month moratorium at the beginning of September, citing a need for more information and a need for more time to decide where medical marijuana operations should be allowed and what regulations they should have to follow.

In a memo, planning board members urged councilors to keep the moratorium in place until the town has new ordinances ironed out.

Rules regulating medical marijuana could be in place by Dec. 4 after going through the council voting process.

Councilor Chris Brunelle recused himself from speaking as a town official on the subject, saying he has a business interest. As a resident, Brunelle he has concerns with the timeline holding back people who are invested and ready to open a business, and recommended the moratorium be lifted for those ready to invest in a business in Lisbon.

“I believe that the moratorium should be repealed and there should be a vote about it,” said Brunelle. “We had a workshop and there was several people behind me who were also caregivers in this town and have a stake in this.”

“Everybody knows if my building or anybody’s building behind me was ready before this moratorium was in place. We’d already have a storefront out here,” he added.

Councilors were concerned with what the timeline meant for potential businesses. They decided to have a special meeting on Oct. 30 to have a second reading of the new ordinance and opt in to medical marijuana storefronts. The ordinance would instead go into effect 21 days after that meeting, two weeks earlier than initially planned.

“I know people want to start businesses,” said Councilor Mark Lunt. “Two weeks makes a difference.”

The next step is a planning board hearing on Oct. 11
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