PORT ORCHARD COUNCIL SETS MORATORIUM ON MEDICAL MARIJUANA DISPENSARIES

PORT ORCHARD -- The Port Orchard City Council on Tuesday passed an
"emergency" moratorium on medical marijuana dispensaries, effective
immediately.

The ordinance, which will be in effect for six months, will allow the
council time to see what happens with legislation on dispensaries that
is pending in Olympia, council members said. The moratorium also will
allow them to consider zoning rules for dispensaries should they
become legal.

"I definitely think we should do this, because this issue is not going
to go away," Councilwoman Carolyn Powers said.

No medical marijuana dispensaries currently operate in the city, but
the owners of at least two planned dispensaries have said they would
like to locate in Port Orchard.

Lori A. Kent, a co-owner of Mari Meds in Belfair, told he council on
Feb. 15 that she and her partner Robert Wood would like to open a
second storefront in their city.

Dave Norton, who formerly owned Green Health in Tacoma and Key Center,
on Feb. 17 said he already had signed a lease for a space in the
Bayside Plaza on Bay Street where he had planned to open a new
dispensary, Bella Oha. News that the council was considering a
moratorium caught him off guard.

Police Chief Al Townsend said his department also has heard from the
owner of a building at 944 Bay St. that a tenant planned a dispensary
there. Some renovation activity appeared to be under way in the former
convenience store, but has since ceased, Townsend said.

The ordinance halts "the acceptance or processing of any applications
for building or land use activities relating to a medical marijuana
business or dispensary, or facilities within which a medical marijuana
business or dispensary will be operated."

The moratorium includes processing of business licenses, and also
applies to dispensaries operated without a physical storefront.

"Certainly the staff at this table believe this is a sensible way to
go at this time," said City Attorney Greg Jacoby, referring to
himself, the city clerk, development director and other senior
staffers. "Other cities in Kitsap County are watching to see the
direction we go on this."

The use of medical marijuana has been legal in Washington since 1998,
but current laws are contradictory on how patients are to legally
obtain the drug.

Townsend has said his department believes the law makes dispensaries
illegal. A bill being considered by the state Senate would essentially
legalize dispensaries and allow cities to control where they are located.

Voting for the ordinance were Powers and councilmen Rob Putaansuu,
Jerry Childs, John Clauson, Jim Colebank and Fred Olin. Councilman
Fred Chang was absent.

A public hearing on the ordinance is set for March 22. State law
allows "emergency" legislation to be enacted before such a hearing is
held.