On Monday, the King County Council approved legislation to refine the existing county land use regulations concerning the growth, processing, and retail sale of marijuana.
The legislation, which passed by a 5-3 vote, allows retail marijuana stores in geographic areas where none currently exist; requires separation between retailers in areas where multiple shops already exist and to limit growing, production and processing facilities in the rural areas to zones with lots of 10 acres or larger. The action also called for a broader study of marijuana land uses in unincorporated King County, including further potential expansion of retail in neighborhood business zones.
King County Council Chair Joe McDermott and Councilmember Larry Gossett, who both voted against the measure, said that the vote will continue the inequitable location of marijuana facilities in the area.
“The legislation will further concentrate retail marijuana stores in low income and working class neighborhoods, and, more often than not, minority neighborhoods,” said the councilmembers in a joint statement.
In addition, the ordinance will also:
- Remove all parcels under 10 acres and designated as Rural Area (RA) zones from use in the production (growth), processing, and retail sale of marijuana.
- Exempt Vashon from restrictions on the use of RA zoned land for production and processing of marijuana.
- Require the County Executive to identify 10 locations suitable for retail in Neighborhood Business (NB) zoned areas across unincorporated King County.
Gossett and McDermott also took issue with the portion of the ordinance that limits the production and processing of marijuana in unincorporated areas King County.
“Reducing the land area where marijuana can be grown and processed coupled with no guaranteed expansion of retail stores will also result in limited access across our county,” read the statement.
“This is particularly concerning for our residents who use medical marijuana to treat numerous ailments like seizures, arthritis and Crohn’s Disease, the statement continued. “For these reasons, we voted against the legislation.”
The county is presently under a four-month moratorium on the acceptance of applications for or the establishment or location of marijuana producers, processors, and retailers in unincorporated areas. The approved ordinance will end the moratorium and goes into effect 10 days after receiving signature from Executive Dow Constantine.
