Hope citizens to vote Jan. 23 on industrial mining, solar and cannabis municipal regulations
In December, the Hope Planning Board reviewed its proposed land use ordinance amendments governing industrial mining, solar energy and cannabis cultivation and social clubs. On Tuesday, Hope residents are being asked to weigh on these new and revised rules.
A Special Town Meeting begins at 6 p.m. at the Hope Elementary School at 34 Highfield Road. The Warrant and the proposed Land Use and Shoreland Zone Ordinance amendments may be viewed by clicking on the links below.
LUO - Cannabis Cultivation, Manufacturing, and Testing Facilities
LUO - Medical Cannabis Dispensaries
LUO - Industrial Metallic Mineral Mining
LUO - Solar Energy Facilities
SZ - Industrial Metallic Mineral Mining
The industrial metallic mining amendment is straightforward: No industrial metallic mining in any of the town’s three zoning districts, which are defined as Rural Residential, Hope Corner and South Hope Village. (See Hope’s Zoning map here.)
The focus on metallic mining comes on recent municipal actions taken in response to mining interests made public. Exiro Minerals Corp, a mineral exploration company based in Canada, first introduced itself in Union and Warren.
Union voters responded with enacting a 180-day moratorium on metallic mining. Likewise, Hope responded with a moratorium and crafted new ordinance language. Hope’s drafted amendment adds a definition of metallic mining, “The exploration for or extraction of metallic minerals, by a person or persons acting in concert, which occupies or disturbs an aggregate land area of one acre or more, regardless of the number of exploration or extraction sources or sites used.”
Industrial metallic mining does not, however, “include (i) non-commercial mineral exploration by means of test boring, test drilling, hand sampling, or digging of test pits which disturbs a land area of less than one acre; or (ii) the excavation, processing, or quarrying of sand, fill, gravel, clay, topsoil, peat, silt, or rock not associated with metallic mineral mining.
Mineral products processing and storage not associated with industrial metallic mineral mining would be allowed in the rural residential area.
Cannibas
Hope will review and discuss proposed land use amendments concerning Cannabis Cultivation, Manufacturing, and Testing Facilities and Medical Cannabis Dispensaries:
The proposed amendments establish town rules for a variety of operations, and adds definitions. It is a lengthy amendment, and proposes prohibiting Retail Cannabis stores and stipulates: No person or organization shall develop or operate a business within this municipality that engages in the sale of a cannabis product to consumers, as defined by 28-B M.R.S. §102.
Additionally, Retail Cannabis Social Clubs are prohibited in the Town of Hope.
It does allow for two facilities for cannabis cultivation, manufacturing, and testing.
Medical cannabis is a different story, and the proposed amendments rewrite existing ordinance. They outline rules for for Registered Medical Cannabis Dispensaries.
“A registered medical cannabis dispensary may not be located within 500 feet of the property line of a preexisting public or private school; preexisting church, synagogue, or other house of religious worship; a lot principally being used for one, two or multi-family residential purposes; a preexisting athletic field, park, playground or recreational facility; any preexisting juvenile or adult halfway house, correctional facility, substance abuse rehabilitation or treatment center; and/or a preexisting licensed child care facility.”
Solar Energy Facilities
Proposed amendments to the land use ordinance governing solar energy production likewise are changes to existing municipal rules. They are to regulate and control solar energy facilities in Hope.
If approved, medium and large solar energy facilities would be allowed in all three district with planning board approval.
Roof Mounted Solar Energy Facilities and Small Ground Mounted Solar Energy Facilities on residential property would be allowed in all districts with code enforcement office approval, and with input from the Hope Fire Chief.
