The Poulsbo City Council voted Wednesday to ban marijuana-related businesses and collective gardens for medical marijuana.
Before the Poulsbo City Council voted to
ban marijuana related businesses and collective medical marijuana
gardens Wednesday night, several council members and area
residents voiced concerns about public safety.
Councilwoman Connie Lord said she was “appalled” to learn that
home-based day cares would not require 1,000 feet buffer for
marijuana businesses, a topic
Chris Henry reported on earlier this week.
State regulations require marijuana businesses be at least 1,000
feet from certain areas:
— Elementary schools or secondary schools.
— Playgrounds.
— Recreation centers or facilities.
— Public parks.
— Public transit centers.
— Libraries.
— Game arcades.
— Child care centers.
In early March, the Liquor Control Board clarified that “child care
centers,” as defined under state law, did not include “licensed
family home child care,” where “care is provided for twelve or
fewer children in the family living quarters where the licensee
resides.”
Susan Ogilvie, a Poulsbo resident, said she was in the second phase
of completing her home-based day care center that would be nearby
the light industrial zone area of Viking Way where marijuana
businesses would be allowed.
She asked the council not to approve a permanent marijuana
ordinance, because of a nearby the Viking Way area zoned for
marijuana businesses. Although there is a 1,000 feet buffer applied
to the park where marijuana businesses would not be allowed,
Ogilvie argued that many children ride their bikes through the area
to get to the park.
Ogilvie also spoke out against marijuana related businesses in
Poulsbo at the planning commission’s public hearing last month as
the city moved forward with a permanent ordinance for marijuana
businesses.
The
commission voted to send the permanent ordinance to the City
Council for Monday’s hearing.
In February, the council voted to extend the interim marijuana
ordinance for six months.
If the council had decided not to act or voted down the ordinance
Monday night, the current interim regulations would have expired in
August.
