PORT TOWNSEND — To develop regulations for the production, processing and sale of recreational marijuana, planners have classified all 1,800 square miles in Jefferson County and offered recommendations as to what should be allowed or forbidden in each zone.
“We want these new regulations to have a light touch,” said Carl Smith, director of the Jefferson County Department of Community Development.
“Whenever possible, we want them to be compatible with our existing code.”
The 20-page document, viewable at http://tinyurl.com/PDN-matrix, recommends a course of action that is expected to be modified after input by the three county commissioners and the Planning Commission before its ratification, which Smith hopes will occur in early February.
On Aug. 11, the county commissioners approved a six-month moratorium on new marijuana businesses until guidelines were developed.
That action expires Feb. 11.
Smith, along with Planning Manager Stacie Hoskins and Associate Planner Colleen Zmolek, presented the proposed matrix to the county commissioners Monday.
It will be presented to the county Planning Commission at 6:30 p.m. Nov. 5 at the Tri-Area Community Center, 10 West Valley Road in Chimacum.
After receiving input from both commissions, planners will turn the matrix into a policy document that will be presented to the Planning Commission at its Dec. 3 meeting.
Smith expects the Planning Commission to schedule a public hearing for Jan. 7 and the finished policy document to be presented to county commissioners in early February, which could allow the moratorium to expire without renewal.
The matrix breaks down areas of the county, providing pros and cons of using each area for marijuana businesses and recommending the allowance or prohibition of producing/processing or retail.
It includes eight zoning categories: rural industrial, public, resource lands, forest lands, rural commercial, rural residential, master plan resort and urban growth area (UGA).
Within those categories are 29 subcategories.
Residential areas are sorted into high-, medium- and low-density categories with separate recommendations for growers and processors for each zone.
Within the UGA, processing and production are banned, while the recommendation is to either ban or restrict that activity in all rural residential areas.
Retail operations are forbidden in all residential areas.
Marijuana shops are restricted to five areas: rural village centers such as Quilcene and Brinnon; neighborhood village crossroads such as Mats Mats, Four Corners, Chimacum and Gardiner; village commercial centers that are part of a resort; urban commercial areas in the UGA; and general crossroads, of which there is only one in the county: the intersection of state highways 19 and 20 just south of Port Townsend.
All marijuana businesses approved before the moratorium were not affected by the restriction.
The two currently operating retail operations, Sea Change Cannabis at 282332 U.S. Highway 101 and Herbal Access Retail at 661 Ness’ Corner Road in Port Hadlock, fall within the recommended zones.
Only one more retail outlet will be allowed in the county.
If the recommendations are followed, no operations will be allowed on any publicly owned land.
Three categories are listed: park, preserves and recreation; waste management facilities; and Jefferson County International Airport, which is owned by the Port of Port Townsend.
The DCD recommends no businesses allowed on the first two. Port of Port Townsend officials have said they have no plans to allow marijuana businesses on port property.
If ratified, the recommendations would affect only unincorporated Jefferson County since the city of Port Townsend has its own set of regulations governing marijuana businesses.
In addition to conforming to county regulations, all marijuana businesses must meet requirements imposed by the Washington State Liquor Board.
Voters approved I-502, which legalized the use and sale of marijuana in Washington state, in November 2012.
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Jefferson County Editor Charlie Bermant can be reached at 360-385-2335 or cbermant@peninsuladailynews.com.
