BELFAST — The Belfast City Council will meet for its regularly scheduled meeting Tuesday, June 2, at 7 p.m., in City Hall. Topics included in City Manager Erin Herbig’s pre-meeting report include confirming a new full-time EMT and firefighter, recreational cannabis stores, and a community grant application.

At the start of the meeting, Fire Chief Patrick Richards will request the Council confirm Ashley Doughty as full-time advanced emergency medical technician/firefighter for the Belfast Fire and Ambulance Department. 

Doughty was unanimously selected by the hiring committee, which included the Chief Richards and Assistant EMS Chief Colby Robbins. She has served as a per-diem AEMT/firefighter for the City since March 2025, and reportedly demonstrated her exceptional dedication, work ethic, and positive attitude since her hiring. Richards also wrote that Doughty is a highly competent AEMT/firefighter. 

Following Doughty’s confirmation, there will be a presentation on proposed ordinance amendments to Chapter 14 Business and Chapter 102 Zoning to facilitate recreational adult-use cannabis retail stores, according to Herbig’s pre-meeting report. 

The Council requested the planning board work on a proposed ordinance that would permit adult recreational use cannabis sales in Belfast in 2025. The move came after a request from members of the public and business community.

The resulting proposal “would allow cannabis sales to occur in the same zoning districts that the City currently allows medical use cannabis sales and does not limit medical or adult use cannabis sales beyond requiring them to be 500’ from a school property line of pre-existing public or private school. The Board generated a memorandum to the City Council outlining their process and why they support the recommended specific changes to the City Code,” according to the report. 

Adult use retail stores are stores that are allowed to sell to anyone age 21 or older; currently the City only allows medical cannabis sales. 

A public hearing on the specific proposed ordinance amendments will follow the presentation. All proposed changes can be found on the City’s website. 

Following the public hearing, a first reading of the proposed amendments will take place. After the first reading, the Council has several options, ranging from discussion, additional amendments, tabling the issue for a later date, or approving the proposed amendments. 

Director of Planning and Codes Bub Fournier will attend the meeting to explain his recommendation and answer questions. 

A request from Deputy Economic Development Director Joellyn Warren will be heard following the first reading. The application is for a Community Action Grant being sent to the Maine Office of Community Affairs to develop preliminary designs for the Belfast breakwater. 

“The 2026 Maine Community Action Grant Program prioritizes projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions and strengthen community resilience to climate impacts. The grants support planning, technical assistance, capacity building, and implementation projects up to $75,000,” according to Herbig’s pre-meeting report. 

The grant, if awarded, will assist the City in developing scope and preliminary designs to make the Belfast breakwater more effective and resilient. The issue has grown with the increasing frequency of storm events. 

The results from a recent Belfast breakwater Options Evaluation and the subsequent Sedimentation Study lead to a recommendation to include evaluation mitigation measures for rebuilding the breakwater. This includes developing primary designs, a cost estimate, an outline of required permits, and a benefit-cost analysis as is required for any FEMA mitigation and construction funding. 

DED Director Warren will be available to present and answer any questions. 

Additional information about any of the aforementioned topics, and Herbig’s entire pre-meeting report and supporting material is available on the City website. 

Erica Thoms can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com