LEWISTON — Amended rules stipulating where new marijuana businesses can be located will go into effect later this month after city officials gave final approval this week.

The ordinance changes expand a series of required buffers between marijuana businesses and schools, parks and residential neighborhoods, which will limit options for where new businesses can open, as well as make several existing businesses nonconforming.

The performance standards will add a 1,000-foot buffer between marijuana businesses and schools, a 500-foot buffer from parks and a 100-foot buffer from any residential property. The council also signed off on a 500-foot buffer between two marijuana businesses.

The amendments mark a shift in city policy to a more restrictive approach to new marijuana businesses, after the Planning Board initiated a discussion on the number of marijuana stores and manufacturing facilities in Lewiston.

At the same time, it allowed city staff to update its system for measuring buffers, with the new rules likely to make it simpler for staff and perspective businesses to understand.

Throughout the process, local marijuana businesses were relatively quiet during public meetings, but staff said there were some concerns over the timing of the new rules impacting applications for new business licenses, as well as the potential impact on some stores making the shift from medical to adult use marijuana.

Prior to final passage Tuesday, the council heard from several employees of MEDCo, which operates two medical marijuana stores in Lewiston.

Alex McMahan, MedCo CEO, said the company is in the process of moving from being licensed as medical marijuana to adult use due to the shifting dynamics of the industry. Because the new rules would make at least one of the locations nonconforming, he told officials he was concerned the changing licenses could lead to problems.

In response, the city added language to the updated ordinance that stipulates that businesses existing prior to the effective date of March 31 are considered “legally nonconforming.”

The council voted unanimously on the amendment, but voted 6-1 on the final approval of the new regulations.

Councilor Scott Harriman has repeatedly argued against the new rules, saying the city doesn’t have similar performance standards or buffers from businesses that sell alcohol, and that it sends the wrong message to an industry that has invested heavily in Lewiston.

“The adjustments are an improvement, but I just don’t see the logic in these types of regulations,” he said.

Councilor Rick Lachapelle, who voted in favor of the expanded buffers, also commended MEDCo staff for work they’ve done to rehabilitate old storefronts in the city.

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