The Issaquah City Council’s Land and Shore committee agreed that there are still too many unanswered questions concerning recreational marijuana.

With at least four different bills floating about in the legislature, the committee felt it is necessary to see what fleshes out in Olympia before the city moves forward with recreational marijuana producers, processors or retailers setting up shop. Issaquah is allowed one retail establishment. So far the city has had 19 applications for retail.

Jason Rogers, associate planner with the city said Issaquah has had two applications for producer/processor.

The committee will recommend to the full council that the city extend the current moratorium, which expires March 3, to July 7.

Rogers said they have to be very clear why they need to extend the moratorium. Marijuana advocates, legislators and sponsors of I-502 are frustrated, and in some cases insulted, that 502 has passed yet some cities are fighting it.

Several bills have been introduced that allocate varying amounts of revenue to local jurisdictions from marijuana taxes, but none are a done deal. Committee member Stacy Goodman would like to know if the city will receive enough revenue to address public safety issues.

Land and Shore chairman, Tola Marts, pointed out that the landscape could be very different if the medical marijuana system is done away with. There are two bills under consideration in the Senate at present that would amend the state’s medical marijuana laws, with ramifications including banning collective gardens, or even merging the medical and recreational marijuana systems.

Redmond has already extended its moratorium, Rogers said. State law allows up to six month extensions. The committee wants adequate time to see what bills come out of the legislature on marijuana, and also to get public input.

There will be a public hearing on recreational marijuana at the Tuesday, Feb. 18 city council meeting at 7 p.m. The meeting has been changed from Monday to Tuesday due to President’s Day.