S. Portland OKs pot dispensary moratorium

SOUTH PORTLAND -- South Portland City Councilors voted in favor of a six-month ban on medical marijuana dispensaries during their council meeting Wednesday.

The council voted 5-2 in support of the moratorium. Councilors Rosemarie De Angelis and Tom Blake opposed the moratorium. No residents spoke during the meeting. Mayor Tom Coward said councilors had a good discussion on the issue. Some disagreed about whether the city should have the ban at all.

“They were concerned it would slow down the process,” Coward said. “We will have some work to do before we can properly consider applications. We have to amend the zoning ordinance and have other regulations, but we don’t know yet. When the state finalizes their plan, we will move as quickly as we can.”

During a council workshop last week, four councilors voted to support the moratorium and three opposed. Councilors will give their final reading on the issue on Feb. 1. 

Also at the meeting, councilors granted a business and liquor license to John and Diane Newick, who want to open Newick’s Lobster House at 200 Gorham Rd. in the former TGI Friday’s restaurant near the Maine Mall. For many years, the Newicks ran a restaurant at 740 Broadway in South Portland, now the site of J.P. Thornton's Homestyle Cafe & Deli.

Copyright 2010 MaineToday Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.