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ANTI-MARIJUANA EFFORTS SURGE IN BOROUGH

FAIRBANKS - Efforts are underway to stop marijuana businesses from opening in the Fairbanks North Star Borough.

A Salcha man is launching an initiative with hopes to keep legal marijuana trade out of the borough, while the president of a strip mall condominium association maintains pot shops are prohibited in the River Mall on College Road under condo association rules because marijuana remains illegal under federal law.

The borough so far has issued more than 40 land use permits for different marijuana businesses, mainly cultivation.

Another six applications for land use permits are pending, according to the borough Department of Community Planning.

Eleven of the total permits are for marijuana stores.

Initiative pending

The initiative to prohibit marijuana commerce in the borough is pending review by Borough Clerk Nanci Ashford-Bingham, who said she received the application Tuesday.

Jim Ostlind, of Salcha, said he intends to gather enough signatures to get a question on the local ballot asking the voters to stop marijuana commercialization.

Under state law, communities have the option to ban marijuana commerce.  The City Council in Delta Junction approved a ban on commercial marijuana in February.

If Ostlind's application is approved, he will have until July 8 to gather a minimum of 2,570 signatures to get a question on the Oct.  4 municipal ballot.

"I do honestly believe that a marijuana industry is not good for Fairbanks," he said.  "I do believe a lot of people in this town feel the way that I do.

"The people have the right to choose what kind of community they want to live in," he said.

Ostlind said his group, Drug-Free Fairbanks, has a handful of members and more people are being recruited.

A meeting is planned for 6 p.m.  June 8 at the Noel Wien Public Library Auditorium.  For information, call 378-8229 or email drugfreefairbanks@gmail.com.

Ostlind said many people voted for the 2014 statewide ballot measure decriminalizing marijuana because they didn't think people should be put in jail for using marijuana.  They don't necessarily embrace marijuana commercialization, he said.

"Now we are going to have stores all over town," Ostlind said.  "We are going to have it growing all over town.  We are going to have all of these businesses as if it is just an ordinary thing like going out and getting a six pack of beer.

Pot shop against River Mall rules

The River Mall Condominium Association met last week after learning of Buik Hong's plans to expand his smoke shop, Andy's Smoking, to sell marijuana.

The River Mall is located on the east end of College Road.

Philip Clark, president of the condo association, said one of the covenants of the association states that all businesses must comply with local, state and federal laws.

"It says no illegal activity," Clark said.

That means the rules prohibit marijuana from being sold from the strip mall because pot remains illegal under federal law, Clark said.

The association additionally passed a resolution objecting to "the marijuana trade being pursued in the River Mall," according to Clark.

Hong's lawyer, Van Lawrence, an elected official on the Borough Assembly, said he attended the condo association meeting and the concerns brought up by other owners in the strip mall dealt with traffic and parking.

"They are afraid that it will bring in a much higher number of customers than the parking lot can handle, and therefore will exclude customers of other businesses.  That is their primary concern," Lawrence said.  "My client is looking at ways to address the concerns of the association."

Hong has been issued a zoning permit by the borough to expand his business to pot.  He has yet to apply for a state license.

All of the land use permits that have been issued by the borough are contingent on the state granting licenses for the businesses.

The state Marijuana Control Board is expected to begin issuing licenses for cultivation facilities on June 9.