By Dawn De Busk

Staff Writer

CASCO — Five years ago, more than half of the residents in Casco voted in favor of adult-use recreational marijuana. 

In about three more months, during annual town meeting, Casco residents will consider three specific questions regarding marijuana-based businesses in their community. 

“When we go to town meeting, we will have three questions: Medicinal storefront, growing and cultivation, and recreational-use storefront,” according to Casco Town Manager Anthony “Tony” Ward.

On March 1, the Casco Board of Selectmen held a joint meeting with the Casco Planning Board to get direction on the ordinances that would govern marijuana businesses.

Going forward, town staff will craft the warrant article questions based on input from the town’s selectmen and planning board members. 

Many of the elected officials said that providing the opt-in questions was a matter of giving the residents what they wanted. After all, the majority voters in Casco agreed with adult-use recreational marijuana being legal. 

“Back in 2016, when they voted on recreational marijuana, Casco was 60-to-40 percent, in favor of it,” Ward said. “This select board has decided, based on the will of the voters in 2016, to put it before town meeting to see if they opt in or not.”

“Medicinal marijuana — they are allowed to cultivate in our community. We would have an ordinance do you want to opt in for storefronts” for medicinal marijuana. 

Ward opened the floor for discussion, suggesting the combined boards consider if there should be a cap on the number of facilities and where might be the best location(s) for such facilities.

The group found concensus on: Limiting the number of facilities allowed in each type of business. 

A suggestion was made to keep businesses three-to five-miles apart. 

However, it was pointed out by Code Enforcement Officer (CEO) John Wiesemann that the length of Route 302 as it travels through Casco was less than four miles, and that was the commercially zoned area of town that such businesses would likely be located. 

Planning board member Ryan McAllister gave his opinion. He started out, stating that no matter what his view is on marijuana use, the town operates as a democracy.

“If it is something that people are interested in having in the town, they have every right to it. It should be restricted to locations that are commercially zoned,” he said. “I would limit the number of permits. You give the town the opportunity to have one or two medicals, one or two recreationals, and wherever they can slip it into the commercial zone — one or two growing facilities.” 

Putting a cap on the number of businesses would prevent a bunch of smiliar-type businesses taking up residence right next to one another.

“You wouldn’t see 15 on the stretch of Route 302,” McAllister said. 

Earlier in the conversation, Selectman Scott Avery had said the ordinance should control how the town would look with these businesses. 

“We need to put some parameters around this. Look at Bridgton — there are six within a mile-and-a-half off Route 302,” Avery said.

During discussions, Windham and Raymond have been mentioned as examples of other towns, where a lot of pot shops popped up. 

“It should have been addressed back after the election. But that is water under the bridge,” Avery said. 

While the town didn’t get proactive, there is an opportunity to act now, he said. The board could decide how many and how far apart the businesses might be spaced, he said.

Avery said that he supported individual freedoms as well as future business-owners. 

“There are people in town who will look. They have just as much right to as us who don’t,” he said. 

“If someone wants to open a recreational or medicinal marijuana store, if we have the ordinance in place, ‘Congratulations, welcome to Casco,’” Avery said. “I don’t want to see one on every street corner. But, I want to support businesses.”  

Planning board member Stan Buchanan said one way to find suitable location is to make a list of where marijuana-based facilities should not be located. 

“We should identify the places where you want them not to be: Near recreational fields, schools, nursing homes. Within two-and-a-half to five miles. You cannot have one closer than that. You cannot have another [similiar] store for two-and-a-half to five miles,” Buchanan said.   

“If we put it on 302, we are not serving local Casco. Anyhow, some people might go further away because they wouldn’t want to be seen going into one in Casco. There is still a stigma,” he said.  

CEO Wiesemann spoke. 

“I think 302 is a good idea. From town line to town line is about 4 miles, and it would be hard to spread,” he said. 

Avery said he liked the flag or banners with the green cross on them that some of the medicinal marjuana stores display.

“The sign… are very tasteful. I think there is a tasteful way of doing it,” he said.