PORT ANGELES — Two Clallam County commissioners will support a new law that allows recreational marijuana facilities in commercial and industrial zones but restricts growing operations and pot shops from rural neighborhoods.
Commissioners Jim McEntire and Bill Peach said Tuesday they would vote in favor of a marijuana ordinance as recommended by the county Planning Commission.
They agreed Tuesday to delay their vote to allow Commissioner Mike Chapman, who was absent, to weigh in on the proposal.
Commissioners also will discuss next week whether to place the marijuana zoning measure on a future nonbinding advisory ballot.
“I’m in favor of the ordinance, and I heard a lot of negativity on the idea of sending this out for a vote,” Peach said after a public hearing Tuesday.
“I concur with the idea that we get paid to make tough decisions.”
11 zones
The ordinance would allow state-licensed growers and processors to operate in 11 industrial and commercial zones in the unincorporated county.
It would also permit grow operations in the agricultural retention zone in the eastern area of the county if the applicant obtains a conditional-use permit from a hearing examiner.
Minimum parcel sizes and property line setbacks would be required in the commercial forest, commercial forest mixed use, rural commercial and rural neighborhood commercial zones.
The ordinance as proposed is more restrictive than temporary zoning that is on the books now.
“I think it’s an artful, well-done compromise,” McEntire said.
McEntire was opposed to an earlier draft of the ordinance because it restricted grows on agricultural lands.
“I want to make sure that agricultural businesses not only survive but thrive in our county,” he said.
Fifty-five percent of Clallam County voters supported the 2012 state Initiative 502 that legalized recreational marijuana for adults 21 and older.
Rules were absent
Clallam County initially required a conditional-use permit for cannabis facilities but had no specific zoning regulations for the industry.
After an initial wave of applicants, few marijuana business owners are applying for licenses in Clallam County, DCD officials have said.
The temporary ordinance will expire Sept. 27.
“It’s time to fish or cut bait here,” McEntire said.
“It would be, in my view, unwise to just let this hang.”
The state Liquor and Cannabis Board limited the number of retail stores in the county and its three cities to six.
Seven speakers spoke in favor of the ordinance in Tuesday’s hearing, including three members of the Planning Commission.
The ordinance was developed by DCD planners and discussed in 14 work sessions and two hearings of the Planning Commission.
“This draft reflects the expressed views of numerous citizens who have appeared before us,” said Tom Montgomery, who serves on the volunteer commission.
“We heard consistent testimony from folks in residential neighborhoods that they did not want to have marijuana growing, processing and sales in those neighborhoods. This draft reflects those strong feelings.”
No to ballot
Nancy Esteb, chair of the commission, urged the board to not put the measure on the ballot.
“It took us 14 work sessions to get to this point,” Esteb said.
“I doubt most of the voters out there are going to spend an equivalent amount of time figuring all this out themselves.”
The Planning Commission held its first work session on recreational marijuana last October.
Its members voted 7-1 to recommend approval Aug. 5.
If approved by two or more commissioners next Tuesday, the ordinance will take effect Sept. 25 unless a public referendum is filed with the county auditor.
“The public hires us three to make what sometimes might be hard votes,” McEntire said.
“I am not going to step back from that because I think this is a well-crafted, well-considered, well-vetted ordinance that is more restrictive than the prior temporary controls that we’ve had in place for some time.”
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Reporter Rob Ollikainen can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5072, or at rollikainen@peninsuladailynews.com.
