Montville ― The town’s Planning and Zoning Commission on Tuesday approved a moratorium on permitting new cannabis establishments in town.

Commissioners agreed that the six-month moratorium, which will begin on May 1 and end Nov. 1, will allow them to properly approve regulations for future establishments in town.

The unanimous approval came after no one spoke for or against the moratorium at a public hearing Tuesday night.

“During the six months we should be able to fine tune these regulations,” Commissioner John Desjardins said.

During the moratorium, new applications for cannabis establishments and uses will not be considered by the commission, but will not have an impact on the Botanist, the town’s only dispensary, which sells both medicinal and recreational cannabis.

Without the moratorium or an approved set of regulations, the commission would have to receive and review applications for cannabis establishments under its current regulations. For example, an application for a cannabis cultivator would be viewed as a manufacturer and would be allowed in town within the proper zone, Land Use Director Liz Burdick explained to the commission.

Burdick said the six-month time frame was recommended by Town Attorney Matthew Willis, as he told her that was the most common length. The commission could decide to enact another moratorium if it does not come to a consensus on a set of proposed regulations.

The moratorium, filed as a zoning text amendment application, was referred to the Southeastern Connecticut Council of Governments in March. The council’s review found that there would not be any negative impact from the amendment on surrounding towns.

Burdick initially provided the commission with a draft of regulations at its December meeting so members could review it and provide her with comments. The regulations were discussed briefly at a January meeting before the commission decided to hold a special meeting to discuss them further in February.

At the February special meeting, commissioners debated the number of establishments to permit in town and whether applications for cannabis businesses should require a special permit, but could not come to a consensus on how to move forward.

At its regular meeting later that month, the commission asked Burdick to draft a moratorium application.

k.arnold@theday.com