BRIDGTON — Bridgton voters Tuesday approved an ordinance that will require new and existing marijuana operations in town to obtain a local license.
About 73% of voters, or 2,392 residents, voted in favor of the amendment to the existing victualers ordinance, which regulates businesses that sell liquor. 847 voted against it and there were 52 blank ballots.
Residents voted in July in favor of allowing retail operations in town nearly four years after the majority of Bridgton voters approved the statewide referendum to legalize marijuana for recreational purposes.
All existing establishments have 30 days to apply for a license, which is similar in nature to a liquor license. The applications fees range from $500 to $2,000, based on the type of operation.
If the ordinance hadn’t passed, then establishments would only have had to obtain the relevant state licenses and the town would not have any authority to regulate the marijuana businesses in town.
Since Bridgton has a selectboard-town manager form of government, any and all amendments or new ordinances must go through a referendum process, as the voting body at large is the governing authority.
In towns with council-manager governance, such as Windham, the Town Council is the governing authority.
Bridgton and Windham are the only two towns in the Lakes Region that have opted in to recreational, or adult use, marijuana.
Comments are not available on this story.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
