WILTON — Select Board members voted to form a committee to reexamine cannabis ordinances Tuesday.
The decision came after Town Manager Perry Ellsworth had second thoughts on a moratorium for all cannabis licensing.
Ellsworth suggested a moratorium twice to the Select Board at previous meetings. He reported an influx in applications for licenses for cannabis operations after the Select Board voted to reduce the cost of licenses for growth and cultivation from $667 to $250 and retail/medical marijuana stores from $1,333 to $100.
A moratorium would have temporarily suspended all unfiled applications for cannabis operation licenses in order for the Select Board to form an ordinance committee for reevaluation.
Ellsworth lamented to the Select Board on Tuesday that the process for crafting a moratorium was lengthy and it would be beneficial for the Select Board to bypass the moratorium and assemble the committee to get to the heart of the problem.
“We can have this (ordinance) written before that time,” Ellsworth stated.
According to Ellsworth, the process would involve legal consultation, a public hearing and a special town meeting before the proposed moratorium could take effect.
The ordinance committee would involve Select Board members, two members of the Planning Board and the town manager. Selectpersons Keith Swett and Michael Wells expressed interest.
Wells asked if the new committee would reexamine other ordinances beyond the ones relating to cannabis. Ellsworth confirmed they would, but would only do two at a time.
“I’d like to have conversation here at the table,” Ellsworth said, “and bring forth to this group and to the Planning Board issues that we know we have with other ordinances that are not up to speed and at this point are incorrect.”
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