LISBON — The Town Council voted 6-0 Tuesday to deny a license renewal for Lisbon Cannabis Co. because code violations have not been completely rectified.

The two-story, 5,376-square-foot commercial property at 5 Canal St. is the home of two marijuana businesses: Lisbon Cannabis Co. on the first floor and 207 Edibles on the second floor. The businesses have operated since 2o20 and their licenses have been renewed each year. The building had been cited for minor code violations over the years, but they were quickly resolved.

That changed earlier this year when Code Enforcement Officer Mark Stambach cited several serious violations in the building, including electrical, plumbing and life-safety issues. In February, those violations prompted the council to deny a license renewal for 207 Edibles and its owner, Lorelei Hilliker.

Jason Smith, owner of Lisbon Cannabis Co., went before the council Tuesday to renew his expiring license. Hilliker urged the board to treat Smith the same as she was and to deny his license. Smith, though, had a rehabilitation plan with the town signed April 10 to fix the violations.

Those violations included missing building, plumbing and electrical permits, as well as the length between the exit and farthest point on the first and second floors being too long, creating a fire hazard.

Because of the rehab agreement and Smith’s willingness to address the code violations, town staff recommended that Smith’s license be renewed.

But Hilliker’s attorney Kate Hambley told the board that its own ordinance said that the council “shall deny” if the applicant has not acquired all necessary state and local approvals prior to issuance of the license. According to the rehab agreement signed by Smith and Michalowski, the work required to meet code will not be completed until June.

“This is a unique case,” Town Manager Glenn Michalowski said. “As of a result of this, the town is shifting its internal practice to better align with our ordinance moving forward. We are actively reviewing the ordinance to refine and bring it back to you in the future.”

“The ordinance is very rigid,” Councilor Normand Albert said. “We need to accept the fact that there are times when agreements are put into place that are conditional and that the ordinance may need some language to allow for some flex.”

But, Albert added, “We must apply things equally across the board.”

Several councilors said they were torn about whether to approve or deny the license, and if denial would make them appear to be unfriendly to business.

“There are opportunities to make (the ordinance) more business friendly,” Councilor Chris Camire said. “If we are going to apply the ordinance equally, you look at the ordinance and it says that a license shall be denied if any local approvals are not met. In the case of one tenant in the building local approvals were not met and we denied. In the case of this tenant, local approvals have still not been met, and the ordinance says, “shall deny.” Personally, I don’t want to, but I shall. That’s the hardest thing that I’m grasping with.”

Voting against the renewal were Camire, Albert, Jeremy Barnard, Mark Lunt, Jo-Jean Keller and Nick Craig. Chairman Fern Larochelle recused himself because the mortgage on the building is held by his company, Larochelle Properties.

Councilors promised to review the ordinance.

“I want to take a serious look at this ordinance moving forward to understand how we are becoming a stumbling block for businesses that want to succeed in this community,” Camire said. “I think it is a serious conversation that we need to have.”

“This sends a clear message to us that we want to be business friendly,” Albert said. “We don’t want to send a message that we’re not. So we have work to do.”