NORTH BRANFORD - Dispensers of medical marijuana need not apply here, at least for the next 12 months.

In November, the North Branford Planning & Zoning Commission (PZC) approved the establishment of a one-year moratorium on considering applications for medical marijuana dispensaries and producers, effective Dec. 2, 2013 through Dec. 2, 2014. The PZC made the application for the request, heard at its Nov. 7 meeting, seeking a moratorium amendment to the town's Zoning Regulations Section 23, Permitted Uses. The PZC based its unanimous decision to establish the moratorium on the need to allow for review of the state regulations and associated applications procedures as well as to allow time to consider proposing and adopting local regulations.

The Zoning Regulation Amendment is listed as 23.2.7 "Medical Marijuana Dispensaries and Producers" and reads: "The North Branford Planning & Zoning Commission shall not accept or consider any application to permit the establishment of medical marijuana producers and dispensary facilities for a period of 12 months commencing from the effective date of Dec. 2, 2013. The reason for this moratorium is to allow the Planning & Zoning Commission to review the 'State of Connecticut Regulation of the Department of Consumer Protection concerning Palliative Use of Marijuana' and the associated application process for producers and dispensary facilities and to draft and/or adopt municipal regulations regarding the production and distribution of medical marijuana within the Town of North Branford. The expiration of said moratorium will be

Dec. 2, 2014."