PORT ANGELES — A draft marijuana law for unincorporated Clallam County will be presented to the public next week.
The county Planning Commission will gather citizen input on the zoning proposal at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday in Room 160 of the Clallam County Courthouse, 223 E. Fourth St., Port Angeles.
County officials said the ordinance would allow state-licensed recreational marijuana growers and processors to operate in 11 county zones, subject to standards, and within the agricultural retention zone as a conditional use.
Like a temporary ordinance on the books now, the new draft would keep the budding industry out of rural hamlets.
County commissioners punted an earlier version of the ordinance back to the Planning Commission on June 22. The citizen advisory panel reached an impasse on the draft in May.
Commissioner Jim McEntire had questioned why marijuana production would not be allowed in the agricultural retention zone as citizens requested in prior hearings.
Commissioner Mike Chapman has said any change to the existing interim ordinance should be approved by the voters.
One change
Kevin LoPiccolo, principal planner for the Department Community Development, said the only substantive change to the new draft is the addition of the agricultural retention zone as a conditional use for marijuana.
The 11 other zones would not require a conditional-use permit for marijuana, but four would be subject to development standards like minimum parcel sizes and property line setbacks.
LoPiccolo said the Planning Commission has been “a little sensitive” to allowing production and processing of marijuana by right of zone in agricultural lands.
Fifty-five percent of Clallam County voters supported the 2012 state initiative that legalized recreational marijuana for adults 21 and older.
Clallam County’s interim marijuana ordinance was adopted last October and extended in March.
LoPiccolo said he expected the Planning Commission to take action on a recommendation on the proposal after the hearing Wednesday.
“I’m not sure where the Board [of County Commissioners] will go,” he added.
The draft ordinance can be viewed on the county Department of Community Development Web page at www.clallam.net/DCD.
Citizens who cannot attend the hearing can submit written comments on the county website or by mail at the Clallam County Department of Community Development, RE: Recreational Marijuana Draft Ordinance, 223 E. Fourth St., Suite 5, Port Angeles, WA 98362.
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Reporter Rob Ollikainen can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5072, or at rollikainen@peninsuladailynews.com.