Editor’s note: Bridgton has three referendum ballot questions on the Nov. 5 warrant. Question 3 is by citizen petition, “Shall the Town adopt the Town of Bridgton Adult Use Marijuana Ordinance?”

By Wayne E. Rivet

Staff Writer

As Maine nears the opening of adult use marijuana storefronts, a local cultivation operation wants to be able to open its doors once those rules take effect.

Currently, Canuvo is a state-licensed medical marijuana dispensary, which employs 15 people and is growing marijuana in the former Bridgton Knitting Mill on Portland Road. It is one of three cultivation sites in Bridgton.

Owner Glenn Peterson collected 470 signatures (410 were validated, 263 were needed) to place a citizen’s petition on the Nov. 5 ballot to ask voters if the town wants to “opt-in” to the Adult Marijuana Program — guided by regulations developed by the state.

“If the town had brought an ordinance before voters in June, we probably wouldn’t be sitting here right now (talking about Question 3),” said Josh Quint of Canuvo, who is Peterson’s son-in-law and a resident of Bridgton (see his Letter to the Editor in Section D).

Quint dispelled a previous criticism that the matter should be settled at a town meeting, noting a citizen’s petition is also a tool in the democratic process.

Development of marijuana standards to be included in the town’s Land Use and Site Plan Ordinances has been a slow process.

In June 2018, Bridgton selectmen charged the Planning Board to develop ordinances for medical and adult use marijuana (amendments to the Site Plan Review Ordinance). Several workshops with the public (including prospective medical marijuana businesses), invited experts and civic officials were held. Eight months of work included two public hearings and 11 workshops.

In November 2018, with news that the state likely would not issue licenses for adult use until 2020, planners shifted their attention to crafting medical marijuana standards. Amendments to town ordinances to address medical marijuana were forwarded to selectmen for placement on the June 2019 warrant.

At a selectmen’s meeting, Peterson aired concerns that some standards were “too strict.”

“The reason given was the Land Use Ordinance also going on the ballot, and they wanted to assure there would be no confusion between the two,” Planning Board Chairperson Deb Brusini said. “No objections were raised at that time. The proposed medical marijuana ordinance remained with selectmen, since it was not given back to the Planning Board for further work.” 

Planners and selectmen held two workshops (Aug. 16 and Sept. 17) to review the proposed regulations. Several changes and some “tweaking” occurred, but selectmen decided to place the standards on the 2020 town meeting warrant.

Brusini said most towns that “opt-in” to the Adult Use Program (created by the state) adopt “some form of municipal standard,” which often includes size and number of cultivation facilities, as well as setbacks/buffer zones “beyond just schools.” To her knowledge, Bridgton would be the only town in Maine (of 21 which have “opted-in”) without municipal guidelines/regulations if Question 3 passes. Typical municipal standards, Brusini said, include numbers and types of establishments, the size of establishments, setbacks between establishments, setbacks between establishments and residences or “sensitive areas” (parks, churches, etc.), signage restrictions, not allowing mobile or outdoor sales, and allowing inspections by appropriate municipal staff (police, fire, etc.).

Any Adult Use application deemed complete and submitted prior to such voter-approved ordinance revisions must be reviewed based upon the pre-existing ordinance for Adult Use (regardless of how long the review process takes).

If voters pass Question 3, there is still an opportunity to amend standards (via town vote either at a special or annual town meeting) based on local wishes. 

Why Bridgton?

When Maine legalized marijuana, Glenn and Sage Peterson started to scour the state landscape to find an “appropriate” location for a cultivation operation.

There were few options. Abandoned chicken coops often consist of wooden floors, thus making them difficult to keep bacteria-free. Initially, the couple retrofitted refrigerated trucks as growing spaces at their Poland farm. They were one of eight operations to secure a medical marijuana dispensary license from the state.

“Some of the older mills had environmental issues,” Quint said.

While Maine legalized marijuana use, it is not supported at the federal level, thus gaining financing to construct a facility is not an option.

Following an “extensive” search, two properties surfaced — the old Knitting Mill in Bridgton and an industrial facility in Pittsfield. The Bridgton mill space checked all the boxes — 20-foot ceilings, plenty of space, cement floors, three-phase power, a septic system that once served 300 workers. The site was a “perfect” fit.

Peterson spent three months presenting the cultivation operation to the Planning Board, and eventually gained approval. The local facility employs 15, seven of which are Bridgton residents.

The Petersons and Quint noted that the industry is “highly-regulated” including mandatory testing of the product for pesticides, heavy metals, mold/yeast and bacteria. Sage Peterson, who handles the marketing side, said the biggest obstacle the industry faces is public perception regarding marijuana use and commercialization. She pointed out that people of all ages have found medical relief using various topical products, while towns can benefit economically in terms of jobs and tax revenue.

Yet, there is “still fear of the unknown,” when it comes to marijuana use, Sage Peterson said. She encourages the public to “peel back the layers” and learn more about the medicinal uses of marijuana. Local “free” classes are held at the mill site regarding cannabis use.

Quint feels the more people “are willing to listen and learn,” they will get a better understanding of the “positive aspects” that can be derived from the marijuana industry.

“We have a store that sells alcohol and opiates near the entrance of a school, but no one seems to have a problem with that,” Glenn Peterson added.

If Question 3 fails, Canuvo will continue to operate as a medical marijuana dispensary at the former Knitting Mill site.