Pubdate: Wed, 30 Apr 2014
Source: Sequim Gazette (WA)
Copyright: 2014 Sequim Gazette
Contact:  http://www.sequimgazette.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/5357
Author: Matthew Nash

SEQUIM CITY COUNCIL TO REVIEW MARIJUANA SALES IN AUGUST

The City of Sequim's moratorium on recreational marijuana remains in
effect one month after city councilors last upheld it.

That won't sway, according to some councilors, until the Legislature
meets again next year and makes revenue and political changes for
cities like Sequim.

Sequim City councilors voted 6-1 Monday, April 28, in favor and
Councilor Genaveve Starr opposed to upholding the six-month moratorium
through August. Their decision comes more than two months after first
approving the moratorium on Feb. 24.

City Attorney Craig Ritchie said the vote fulfilled a guideline for
the moratorium to be reviewed officially by city councilors.

When the moratorium is up, councilors can vote to either renew the
moratorium for up to another six months or allow recreational
marijuana sales in the city.

Due to its population, the City of Sequim is allowed one recreational
marijuana store. A lottery was held last week for statewide retailers
and the announcement on the first businesses to be reviewed for
licenses is expected Friday.

Councilor Laura Dubois voted for the city's moratorium, she said,
because the state keeps tax revenues from cities that could be used
for local police to handle criminal activity at retail marijuana sites.

"It's a cash business and a very valuable inventory," she said. "If
the state is going to keep our tax revenue, then I'm going to continue
to vote for the moratorium based on the state's decision to keep the
tax revenue."

Councilor Ted Miller agreed with Dubois but said merging recreational
and medical marijuana sales should be a priority.

"The state hasn't got its act together," Miller said. "Until we have a
definitive merger with recreational and medical marijuana and we have
clear guidelines to proceed it would be premature for us to go ahead.

"People have waited for marijuana legalization this long. They can
wait a few more months longer so we can do it right."

Starr, who has voted against the moratorium before, told the Gazette
she wants to go forward with retail sales because the county and state
approved it.

"Everything I've been reading online with the Colorado experience has
not been negative," she said.

"I'm thinking we may be really worried about things that may not
happen."

Policy in place

If councilors do revoke the moratorium, which they can do anytime,
they have some policy in place. On March 24, they voted to allow
retail marijuana sales in the city's general retail and commercial
zones, which fall mostly at both ends of Washington Street due to
restrictions from downtown Sequim and areas like schools and parks.

Marijuana processing and producing would not be allowed in the city
though.

Ritchie said of Washington's 281 cities, 73 have moratoriums on
marijuana decisions.

"They are mostly waiting until the Legislature meets (starting January
2015)," he said.

Ritchie said he and many others expected the Legislature to merge
recreational and medical marijuana sales before it ended March 13.

"They'll come up with some other method," he said. "I see this as
urgent. Medical marijuana users need to have a source. Potentially a
lot of tax money at stake. I think they will deal with it."

A few Sequim residents spoke in person or via letter Monday in support
of lifting the moratorium.

Jan Gonzales, a city resident, wrote by letter stating that the
legislation for merging medical and recreational marijuana was met
with stiff opposition. Gonzales added that there's no evidence to
support an increase in crime either.

"Patients are forced to incur additional expenses as a result of this
irrational and unjust moratorium," Gonzales said. "The city will find
its portion of the tax revenue from recreational marijuana when the
Legislature reconvenes. Medicine is not where the city should seek its
tax revenue."

Dave Halpern, a Gardiner resident, said keeping one retail store out
of Sequim will not change any immediate police response because
recreational marijuana stores will be outside of the city, too.

"People will buy out of the city and bring it back into the city," he
said. "I implore you to follow the will of the county."

Starr said she doesn't anticipate the city council lifting the
moratorium until next year.
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MAP posted-by: Matt