Pubdate: Sat, 12 Oct 2013
Source: Herald, The (Everett, WA)
Copyright: 2013 The Daily Herald Co.
Contact:  http://www.heraldnet.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/190
Author: Jerry Cornfield

POT RULES BEING DRAFTED

Snohomish County and Cities Are Working to Adopt Ordinances by Nov. 
18, the First Day the State Will Begin Accepting Applications.

It's not clear yet where in Snohomish County you will be able to open 
a business to grow, process or sell marijuana. But it will be soon. 
Leaders of Snohomish County and many of its cities are drawing maps 
and drafting ordinances to spell out where the legal pot industry can 
set root in their communities.

Most are aiming to adopt rules by Nov. 18. That's when the Washington 
State Liquor Control Board will begin accepting applications for 
licenses to own a retail store, conduct an indoor or outdoor growing 
operation or bake marijuana into brownies and other goods for sale.

"The code needs to be clear on what you can do and what you can't 
do," Mukilteo Mayor Joe Marine said. "It needs to be clear for our 
citizens and for the people getting into this business."

The timing is vital for potential entrepreneurs who must include a 
location on their application and want to be sure they pick a place 
where it is permitted.

"If we don't have our regulations in place we could face situations 
where people have a state permit and we won't be done and that would 
be confusing to everyone," Snohomish County Councilman Dave Somers said.

Not every city intends to be finished next month.

Marysville won't enact its rules until next year. In the meantime 
there's a citywide moratorium on launching any pot business.

"At the end of the day we didn't want to rush through this and be 
reactive to any problems we encounter," Mayor Jon Nehring said. "We 
wanted to do our due diligence and consider all the impacts and let 
the community weigh in."

Washington voters legalized recreational use of marijuana for adults 
21 years and older when they passed Initiative 502 last year.

The state liquor control board has spent months developing 
regulations covering details such as the testing of products to 
setting the size of growing operations, to deciding how many stores 
will be allowed in any community.

But the liquor control board is not looking to influence local zoning 
requirements beyond the initiative's dictate that no pot business be 
within 1,000 feet of schools, parks, libraries, child care centers 
and other places frequented by children, and public transit centers.

As a result, planners are drawing bubbles around such locations on 
maps in each city and the county. That tells everyone what areas are 
off-limits.

Most communities are then figuring out where marijuana-related 
businesses can exist. There is the potential for friction with the 
state if local governments severely restrict or ban them completely, 
or, like Marysville not do anything for a while.

The state may proceed with issuing licenses for up to three retail 
stores in the city before Marysville leaders decide for certain if 
they will make room for them.

"This will be a little bumpy as it all shakes out," liquor control 
spokesman Brian Smith said.

Mukilteo is setting the pace in Snohomish County with the City 
Council on course for adopting rules Oct. 21.

The city was allocated one of the state's 334 retail stores. Marine 
said the council is likely to identify a commercial zone on Mukilteo 
Speedway near Harbour Pointe Boulevard SW as the best place for it.

The Everett City Council could act Oct. 23.

Everett was allocated five retail stores, the most of any city in the 
county. Council members are likely to bar stores from neighborhood 
commercial zones. And none are expected in the downtown core because 
of the many venues for youth.

Retail outlets could wind up in a commercial area in the north or 
southwest area of the city. But to avoid a concentration of stores, 
the city's draft rules would require pot businesses be at least 2,500 
feet apart, which is nearly half a mile.

Snohomish County Council members are looking to get their work done Nov. 13.

Somers said the approach thus far has been to identify broad zones 
where production, processing and retail sales can take place. Unlike 
Everett, the county is not looking to require businesses stay a 
certain distance apart.

One of the more interesting issues may be where retail stores open. 
The state allotted 16 stores for the unincorporated areas of the county.

Without a significant number of commercial areas, there could be some 
clustering in places like the Clearview commercial zone on Highway 9, 
Somers said.

"I think in the long run there will be some competition," he said.

Marysville is not expected to take final action before next spring. 
By the end of the month, a committee will be set up to come up with 
recommendations on where pot businesses could possibly start up. This 
panel will include residents along with members of the planning 
commission and council.

Nehring expects the city will be open for pot businesses.

"I believe they absolutely will be allowed," he said. "But I have not 
heard from the community at large to do this quickly."

Edmonds is on a similar track. In August, the council enacted a 
six-month moratorium while it decides how to proceed.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom