The voter approved referendum, Cape Elizabeth Residential Pesticide Use Ordinance, will go into effect on December 12, 2023.  Typically, the charter states that a successful ordinance referendum will go into effect ten days after passage by voters.  However, State law requires that the Bureau of Pesticide Control be given a 30-day notification period in which to review municipal ordinances, thereby superseding local legislation.  

Chair Jeremy Gabrielson explained at the November 13 council meeting that although the council had anticipated acknowledging and adopting the ordinance that evening, they would look for a motion to table the item to the next Town Council meeting on December 11.  At that time, both the State and charter requirements will be satisfied.  Gabrielson added that the citizens behind the ordinance were aware of the State’s provision and in agreement of the needed delay of enactment.

Councilor Gretchen Noonan pointed out that scheduling a future workshop to clarify the list of pesticides on the ordinance would be appreciated by the public; the council will look to early January of 2024 to schedule such a workshop.

The council voted unanimously in favor of tabling the acknowledgement and adoption of the Residential Pesticide Use Ordinance until December 11.