After a lengthy discussion at the Issaquah City Council Land and Shore committee Feb. 11, the full council voted to extend the moratorium on recreational marijuana businesses in Issaquah, until July 7.
The decision was made at Tuesday night’s regular City Council meeting.
The City Council agreed that there are too many balls in the air in Olympia, with at least four different bills related to medical and recreational marijuana still undecided.
The council wants to wait to see what comes out of Olympia, before deciding how to proceed.
However, if the legislature decides to pass HB 2638, sponsored by Rep. Sharon Wylie, D, Vancouver and Rep. Gerry Pollet, D, Seattle, local jurisdictions would be obligated to follow state laws.
The window for applications to grow, process or retail recreational marijuana is long closed. Issaquah has 19 applicants for the one retail space it’s allowed, and two applicants for producer/processor.
Only two members of the public spoke on the issue during a public hearing Tuesday night.
Steve Pereira of Issaquah said he doesn’t think it’s a needed means of revenue for the city, while Robert Milligan, the husband of Issaquah’s newest city council member, Nina Milligan, questioned the health and welfare of citizens. Echoing Pereira, Milligan hoped tax revenue wasn’t the city’s driver on the issue.
Council member Tola Marts said the city takes concerns about public safety very seriously. He said he was confident the legislature would come up with finite rules and regulations.
Council President Paul Winterstein said there’s not a lot of precedent so the council is “re-doubling its effort to hear public input.” Winterstein said he’s been told the council didn’t allow for enough public input on the plastic bag ban.
Council member Josh Schaer said he believed a ban should be saved for the worst of the worst and didn’t think science supported the policy to ban marijuana.
However he did support the moratorium as did the rest of the council until issues shake out in Olympia.
Recreational marijuana will be discussed in April before the planning policy commission, at a council workshop and another Land and Shore meeting in May.
