The Centralia City Council will soon again consider allowing recreational marijuana businesses to operate within city limits, potentially putting to an end an ongoing lawsuit challenging the council’s stance against sales in city limits.
In a July 18 email sent to Centralia City Manager Rob Hill, Councilor Pat Gallagher requested an action item be brought before the council to reconsider zoning to regulate production, processing and retail marijuana businesses.
If passed, it could end the city’s moratorium on marijuana.
“Maybe there’s a better way. I think it’s responsible to reconsider our options,” Gallagher said in an interview with The Chronicle.
The city is currently being sued over its pot moratorium by potential marijuana retailer Perry Nelson. It could face another lawsuit from David Kois, who has threatened to sue the city several times if it continues to prevent him from opening his marijuana processing facility.
Both men say they have too much invested in Centralia to consider other cities.
The city recently set aside $50,000 from the general fund to pay for pre-litigation costs for the Nelson suit.
In January, the Planning Commission drafted language for a zoning ordinance that defined where marijuana businesses would be allowed to operate within the city. That same month, the council approved it on first reading, then dismissed it after state Attorney General Bob Ferguson opined that cities had the authority to ban marijuana.
Gallagher wants that zoning to be reconsidered. If the council approves it, marijuana businesses could be coming to Centralia.
The city council has voted 4-3 several times in favor of the marijuana moratoriums. Mayor Bonnie Canaday, Mayor Pro Tem John Elmore, councilors Bart Ricks and Gallagher voted for the moratorium while councilors Gabe Anzelini, Ron Greenwood and Lee Coumbs voting against it.
By law, 10 days notice are required before the council can consider an agenda item. Gallagher’s request didn’t come in time for the issue to be discussed at Tuesday's meeting, so, according to Centralia City Attorney Shannon Murphy Olson, it will likely be brought up either at a July 29 council workshop held by Canaday and Elmore, or Aug. 12 at the regularly scheduled city council meeting.
