Columbia County Won't Ban Pot Businesses

DAYTON – During a special meeting on Monday, the Columbia County Board of Commissioners rejected a motion to ban growing, processing and sales of marijuana in the unincorporated parts of the county.

The motion to ban, which was made by Commissioner Merle Jackson, failed on a 2-1 vote, with Commissioners Dwight Robanske and Mike Talbott voting against.

After the vote, the commissioners asked Columbia County Planning Director Kim Lyonnais and County Prosecutor Rea Culwell, who were both in attendance, to begin work on drawing up a set of zoning and enforcement ordinances to regulate marijuana businesses. They said they would schedule a workshop in the next few weeks to review and finalize the new ordinances.

For nearly two years, the commissioners have imposed a moratorium on establishment of marijuana businesses in the county. The latest extension of the moratorium will expire Sept. 17.

Earlier this year, the Dayton City Council imposed a ban on all marijuana businesses within the city limits.

Prior to the vote, Commissioner Jackson gave a list of reasons he is in favor of banning marijuana businesses in the county. These included the fact that sales and possession of marijuana are prohibited by federal law, in spite of Washington's pot legalization by voters nearly three years ago; the fact that a majority of voters in Columbia County voted against the legalization measure; and the fact that it would be better to have consistency between city and county rules.

Jackson also said, "I think it sends the wrong message to kids in our community about marijuana."

Commissioner Robanske then spoke, saying that he feels it's better to regulate a substance that is now legal to possess and has long been used in the county.

"People in Columbia County have been smoking pot for 50 years; no make that 60 years," he said. "The ban will not stop pot use. It probably won't even slow it down. It's better for us to have control" over its production and sale, he added.

Commissioner Talbott said he also feels it's better for the government to regulate the production and sale of marijuana than to leave it up to the black market.

The commissioners discussed with Lyonnais and Culwell various options for zones in which pot businesses would be allowed. Potential zones for growing marijuana are the A1, A2 and A3 zones, and possibly AR1 and AR2 zones, Lyonnais said.

There was discussion of whether processing should be allowed in the A zones, or only in the light industrial zone. Marijuana retail stores might be allowed just in commercial zones in the county.

Culwell pointed out to the board that state law has very strong restrictions on licensing and operation of marijuana businesses, but that the board could add their own additional restrictions if they wished.

"We can make the law in Columbia County more restrictive than state law," she said, "but we can't make it less restrictive than state law.

Even though the moratorium will run out in less than a month, the commissioners said they don't expect to have the new ordinances in place before late October or November.