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MARIJUANA: Athena taking a ‘wait and see’ approach
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East Oregonian
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Rules on the books
Hermiston: While most cities were
busy crafting temporary moratoriums and
new zoning rules for marijuana dispensa-
ries, +ermiston banned them from the
get-go.
The city’s codes already prohibited
businesses not in compliance with federal
law, but in 0arch 201 the city council
doubled down on that rule, voting unan-
imously to speci¿cally outlaw marijuana
dispensaries from within city limits.
Pendleton: The ban on marijuana
odors leaving a person’s property drew
laughs from around the world thanks to
a satirical letter asking the city council to
outlaw farts, too.
On other marijuana matters, however,
the city council has had trouble ¿nding
consensus.
After four separate motions the
council passed an amendment to the city’s
development code on 0ay 5 allowing
medical marijuana dispensaries in central
mixed-use and service-commercial zones
as long as they are not within 1,000 feet of
a school, public park, another marijuana
facility or a community facility primarily
attended by minors.
First dispensary owners must get a city
business license, however, and talks have
stalled as city councilors remain split on
reforming business license rules to allow
marijuana dispensaries to qualify.
Boardman: In April the city council
passed regulations restricting marijuana
dispensaries to two types of commercial
zones as long as they are at least 1,000 feet
away from school, churches, playgrounds
and bus stops.
Dispensaries must get a conditional
use permit and follow a list of rules that
includes closing by 8 p.m., not allowing
on-site consumption and not storing any
product outdoors.
6tan¿eld: The city passed a strict
marijuana ordinance in June, banning
dispensaries from within 00 feet of a
residential zone, 1,500 feet of a school
and 1,000 feet of public property or
another dispensary. Dispensaries would
only be allowed to operate between 10
a.m. and 7 p.m.
The ordinance also banned smoking
marijuana at a dispensary, inside an
enclosed place of employment or within
10 feet of the doors or windows at a place
of employment.
City 0anager %lair Larsen said if a
law passed allowing cities to ban dispen-
saries altogether Stan¿eld would most
likely do so.
Irrigon: The city repealed its mari-
juana dispensary rules, described by
city manager Aaron Palmquist as “not
properly written or cited,” in April before
replacing them with a new set of regula-
tions.
The rules allow marijuana to be grown
and distributed in two types of commer-
cial zones if it is at least 1,000 feet from
a school, only indoors and in compliance
with all state regulations.
Echo: The city council passed an
ordinance in June limiting marijuana
dispensaries to the C-1 commercial zone
and light industrial zone as long as they
are not within 1,000 feet of a school, park,
church, daycare, recreational center or
another dispensary.
The ordinance also limits registered
grow sites to locked, enclosed spaces in
the farm residential zone after growers
obtain a conditional use permit.
Still in the works
Umatilla County: After giving itself
a year to approve regulations for medical
marijuana dispensaries and coming up
short, the 8matilla County %oard of
Commissioners voted in April to extend
its moratorium on the shops through the
end of 2015.
The county’s medical marijuana study
group has been working on a set of land
use proposals that would prohibit medical
marijuana dispensaries from being
located within a mile of schools, churches,
daycares, public recreational facilities
and school bus routes. %oard chair Tamra
0abbott, who is also the county planning
director, told commissioners an extension
on the moratorium would give the county
planning commission time to examine
those rules.
The committee plans to look at
crafting regulations regarding recreational
marijuana after the end of the legislative
session.
Umatilla: City councilors are set to
consider a comprehensive overhaul of the
city’s zoning codes — including rules for
dispensaries — on July 13.
In 0ay and June the council discussed
but did not vote on the proposed rules,
which would limit dispensaries to the
general commercial zone and highway
commercial zone, both of which are east
of Interstate 8 and away from down-
town. The outlets could not be located at
the same address as a grow site or within
1,000 feet of a school, library, city park or
existing dispensary.
Heppner: The city council recently
passed an ordinance that keeps dispen-
saries 1,000 feet from schools and other
places children frequent, and requires a
conditional use permit to open a business,
but those regulations could be replaced
with a total ban if the state allows cities
to do so.
“The Council will discuss pursuing a
total ban when it is allowed; as the voters
spoke here,” City 0anager .im Cutsforth
wrote in an email. “%ut we need to do a
little more research.”
Wait and see
Morrow County: Planning director
Carla 0clane said the county hasn’t
passed any ordinances pertaining to
recreational marijuana yet, but once the
legislative session ends the county will
examine its options under the new laws.
“0easure 1 did not pass here,”
0clane said. “If there is an option for
a local opt-out we’re going to look at it
closely.”
The county did already pass an ordi-
nance banning medical marijuana dispen-
saries from within 1,000 feet of a school
park, playground, ball¿eld or anywhere
else where minors regularly congregate,
as well as from Port of 0orrow property.
Milton-Freewater: Staff are still in
the researching and drafting stage for a
marijuana ordinance that will eventually
come before the council.
Pilot Rock: The city has no ordi-
nances regulating marijuana dispensaries,
grow sites or recreational use.
Athena: With no current dispensaries
in town, the city has announced it is
taking a “wait and see” approach, holding
off until the end of the current legislative
session before crafting any ordinances
related to marijuana.
———
Contact
Jade
McDowell
at
jmcdowell@eastoregonian.com
or
541-564-4536.
Wednesday, July 1, 2015
POLICE: %oth police chiefs
anticipate violations to rise
Continued from 1A
quarter ounce from medical dispensaries as soon as Oct. 1.
Pendleton Police Chief Stuart Roberts wrote in an email
7uesday that residents shouldn¶t e[pect a signi¿cant differ-
ence in police behavior in the short-term.
“Simply put, we will not take a very aggressive stance out
of the gate,” he wrote, “because I believe in a week to a week
and a half the Legislative session ends, the pending bills that
signi¿cantly reshape %allot 0easure 1 will become law.”
As authorities wait for the Legislature to wrap its session
July 11, Roberts said certain marijuana-related offenses,
like duiis, public consumption and possession by a person
under 21, will be continued to be enforced as they always
have. Other marijuana-related crimes and violations will be
handled on a case-by-case basis.
%ut however the rules are written, Roberts and +erm-
iston Police Chief Jason Edmiston both said they anticipate
violations to rise.
Edmiston said his department expects to deal with more
impaired drivers, and added that even people who want
nothing to do with the drug will see its effects.
“0ake no mistake, this will impact the livability of the
citi]ens of +ermiston,” he wrote in an email. “People who
want nothing to do with it will be subjected to it in some
way, shape, or form.”
The police department’s job is to enforce the law
as written, Edmiston said, and he expects to “ramp up
educating people to include younger students in the schools
if requested by the school district.”
PGG: Agreement provides better
collaboration during 2015 harvest
Continued from 1A
on the Snake River, and ¿ve on the Columbia River.
%ud Riedner, general manager of 0cCoy *rain Terminal,
said the agreement with P** provides better collaboration
during the 2015 harvest season, which is already expected
to be a down due to hot, dry weather.
Indeed, 0iddleton said the partnership should pull
together the most complete information about markets
and conditions throughout the region, from The Dalles to
Pendleton and eastern Washington and Idaho up to Canada.
“Information is the most valuable thing you can have in
the grain business,” 0iddleton said. “It’s de¿nitely a bonus
to have all that information at our disposal so we can see
what’s going on.”
P** will continue to provide marketing services at their
grower trading desk in Pendleton. The marketing depart-
ment can be reached at 51-278-5018.
———
Contact George Plaven at gplaven@eastoregonian.com
or 541-564-4547.