Lewis County commissioners extended the moratorium on facilities and developments involved in the production, processing and retail sale of marijuana and related products with a 3-0 vote Monday morning.
It’s the sixth moratorium the commissioners have passed since December 2013, frustrating many at the public hearing who said the process has gone on far too long.
According to Lee Napier, director of community development for the county, staff has drafted regulations for the businesses, but have not finished reviewing them.
Napier said before the regulations are approved, county staff would like to host several public workshops to get additional comments from community members on the issue.
The regulations deal with building and fire safety, and public water and septic codes, among other items.
Several prospective business owners addressed their concerns to the commissioners, stating the county should have made more progress in setting regulations.
Summer Chapman, of Salkum, said the county seems to be dragging its feet, and instead should be reaching out to surrounding counties that allow these types of businesses to help set regulations.
“I don’t like it because it’s the same answer we’ve gotten for the last three years,” Chapman said of the delays.
Eric Eisenberg, a county deputy prosecuting attorney, said he did look to other counties, but found many of them did not address issues such as how to handle waste management.
He also said the legal aspects of the marijuana market have changed as legislation has passed, in turn causing staff to review the regulations they could impose.
Even if the moratorium was lifted, commissioners said, a federal permit would be required in order to operate a marijuana business within the county.
“We will not support anything that violates federal law,” Commissioner Bill Schulte said.
Jason Sparkman, from Morton, said he hopes to open a cannabis production business in East Lewis County. He has had a license since December 2015, but in order to maintain it, he needs to show the state he is making progress in opening the facility.
“I understand that you want to do all the right things, and I’m absolutely for that 100 percent, but what I don’t understand is the amount of time with this decision … if you are not going to support this because the federals haven’t supported this then why are we going through all of this?” he asked. “Why don’t you just ban this and have everyone stop spending their money here?”
Commissioner Edna Fund said the regulations had to be put into place even if the county ultimately voted not to allow marijuana businesses, because if legislation was implemented making it legal across the nation, then the county would have no means to regulate it.
“If we do not have these rules in place, it’s like an open marketplace without any protections,” she said. “We are doing our due diligence.”
Sparkman went on to say the commissioners’ decision to not allow marijuana businesses is impacting families around the area.
“We have a lot riding on this thing, so your opinion is really dictating a lot of our lives right now, so it’s really hard for me to sit here and listen about how we need another six months because we need to talk to the people,” he said. “Well guess what? We did talk to the people and the state of Washington voted for this three years ago.”
Matthew Martin, from Rochester, owner of Sweet Greens Co-Op and Sweet Greens Northwest, said the county is making the issue more complicated than it needs to be, given Chehalis has allowed two retail businesses to open up shop within city limits.
Due to the varied types of land designations throughout the county, Eisenberg said, the decision is harder to make on a county level because of land use issues, especially in rural areas.
Taking on a different role, Eisenberg spoke during the public comment portion of the meeting as a member of the public, stating he voted for Initiative 502, and supported the legalization and regulation of marijuana. However, he said as a purely practical matter, it would be wiser for the county to pass the moratorium and put regulations in place before allowing the businesses to open.
Miriam Stone, with RiversEdge Lodge and RV Park in Toledo, did not want to see marijuana businesses allowed in the county. As a local business owner, she said she is worried about an increase of crime and the impact it would have on law enforcement agencies that are already strapped in resources, she said.
“Our business caters to tourists, travelers and seniors,” she told The Chronicle. “We want them to be safe.”
Elvis Stone said the business has seen several problems, such as marijuana-related graffiti. Currently, a marijuana related business wants to open across the street from the park, and he said it would cause more of these problems.
The duo clapped as the commissioners approved the moratorium with a 3-0 vote.
Schulte said this would be the last moratorium he would support.
