EVERETT — The Snohomish County Council was unable to reach a decision Wednesday on imposing buffers of up to 1 mile between future marijuana shops in unincorporated areas.
That’s bound to keep store owners in suspense for at least another week as the council weighs options for lifting a temporary pot-store ban in place for nearly eight months. The two newest members of the council were on the losing side of a 3-2 vote to postpone a decision. They favored taking a vote right away, while their colleagues wanted more time.
“I think this has been delayed long enough,” said Councilman Nate Nehring of Stanwood, who took office last month. “… This issue has been on the docket for months now, and I think we ought to vote on it today.”
Councilman Sam Low of Lake Stevens, who was elected in November, said he, too, was ready to vote, but did not say how he was leaning.
The hearing is scheduled to resume at 10:30 a.m. next Wednesday.
The council imposed the temporary ban in June, citing concerns about the number of pot stores clustering in business districts such as Highway 99 between Everett and Lynnwood, and the Bothell-Everett Highway south of Mill Creek.
Council Chairman Brian Sullivan said Wednesday that most of his colleagues needed more time to review new tweaks to the proposed rules.
They could decrease the buffer to 2,500 feet or 1,000 feet. Another option would eliminate the buffer altogether. The county also could make new pot stores subject to approval by the council or a hearing examiner, which isn’t the case now.
The proposed rules would limit to 32 the number of pot stores in unincorporated Snohomish County. That’s already the maximum combined number allowed under state law for unincorporated Snohomish County plus several small cities. The limit would come into play should the state Liquor and Cannabis Board decide someday to increase the number of permits.
The owners of two businesses have testified that the county’s ban has prevented them from opening stores — after getting permission from the state and making big investments.
Matt Landry was preparing to set up shop on commercial property he bought south of Everett when he was ensnared in the ban. That happened, Landry said, after he received the go-ahead from the state and a letter from the county saying the site was a permissible location for a pot store.
He contends the county has failed to show any justification for its ban or the proposed buffers. There are no statistics demonstrating an increase in crime near pot retailers. Dispersing them throughout the county would do nothing to lessen the use of the drug by young people, something he said the state is enforcing already.
“I’m all for public safety,” he said. “But when there’s just a lack of cause and effect in their argument, they’re clearly trying to tell people what they can and can’t do.”
Two other pot stores have code-enforcement disputes with the county over whether they’re allowed to operate in light of the moratorium.
The owners of Lombardi’s Italian Restaurant &Wine Bar on the Bothell-Everett Highway have pushed for buffers. They believe the pot stores to either side of their restaurant and another across the street have hurt business.
“There are several rational reasons to be opposed to clustering,” co-owner Kerri Lonergan-Dreke said.
The proposed county regulations would have no effect on businesses open as of June 22. They wouldn’t break up existing clusters until stores close and new ones open elsewhere.
The local decisions come amid uncertainty at higher levels of government. Marijuana remains illegal under federal law. President Donald Trump has suggested that states should continue to make decisions about legal marijuana, but newly confirmed Attorney General Jeff Sessions has made past statements against legalization.
Noah Haglund: 425-339-3465; nhaglund@heraldnet.com. Twitter:@NWhaglund.
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