Forty-one business applications have been filed by Jefferson County and Clallam County entrepreneurs for growing, processing and selling recreational marijuana under voter-approved Initiative 502.
That’s more than double the 18 initial applications the state Liquor Control Board made public Nov. 26.
As of last week, North Olympic Peninsula businesses had filed paperwork for 16 cannabis production licenses, 13 processing licenses and 12 retail licenses.
The deadline to apply for licenses with the state Liquor Board is this Friday.
Agency officials expect to issue the licenses in March, with pot stores opening for business in late May or June.
“That’s the plan,” said Brian Smith, state Liquor Control Board spokesman, in a telephone interview.
While there is no limit on the number of growers and processors, the state has capped the number of retail licenses that will be issued in each jurisdiction.
Clallam County will be allowed six retail outlets: two in the city of Port Angeles, one in Sequim and three others anywhere else in the county.
Jefferson County will get four retail outlets: one in the city of Port Townsend and three anywhere else in the county.
A lottery will be held if the number of retail applications exceeds the number of licenses allowed.
State officials have said they intend to cap the number of retailers at 334 statewide.
Pot store customers must be at least 21 and must present an ID.
Marijuana retailers cannot conduct business within 1,000 feet of schools, parks or libraries. Local officials will be able to comment on the stores’ placement.
As of last week, the state had received 1,696 marijuana business applications since a 30-day window opened Nov. 20.
Of those, 794 were for growing, 579 were for processing and 323 were for selling the legalized drug.
“We didn’t really know exactly what to expect,” Smith said of the response.
“We’re certainly seeing a lot of interest, particularly on the producer and the processor side.”
The business names and addresses for all the applications in the state are posted every Tuesday on the Liquor Control Board’s website at www.tinyurl.com/pdn-potlist.
The owners of companies that submitted applications were not identified by the Liquor Control Board.
A single business can grow and process marijuana, but the same business cannot grow and sell pot or process and sell it.
Here’s a rundown of Clallam and Jefferson counties’ applications that have been filed with the state since the first wave of applications was made public Nov. 26:
Producers
■ Don Dills, 152 Breezy Lane, Port Angeles.
■ Gentlebear Gardens, 1240 W. Sims Way, Port Townsend.
■ Giffenbush, 41 Wagner Lane, Sequim.
■ Kitsap Satellite, 415 Gybe Ho Road, Nordland.
■ Lewis Processing, 15730 state Highway 112, Clallam Bay.
■ Starcrisp Farms, 2564 Hooker Road, Sequim.
■ TXC Gardens, 6992 Oak Bay Road, Port Hadlock.
■ Tropic Grow, 2844 Towne Road, Sequim.
■ Tropic Grow, 51 Shore Road, Port Angeles.
■ Uncle Jim’s Buds, 1641 Taylor Cutoff Road, Sequim.
Processors
■ Gentlebear Gardens, 1240 W. Sims Way, Port Townsend.
■ Giffenbush, 41 Wagner Lane, Sequim.
■ Kitsap Satellite, 415 Gybe Ho Road, Nordland.
■ TXC Gardens, 6992 Oak Bay Road, Port Hadlock.
■ Tropic Grow, 2844 Towne Road, Sequim.
■ Tropic Grow, 51 Shore Road, Port Angeles.
■ Uncle Jim’s Buds, 1641 Taylor Cutoff Road, Sequim.
Retailers
■ Beck Brothers LLC, 32 Easy St., Brinnon.
■ Chimacum Cannabis, 1473 Chimacum Road, Chimacum.
■ The Hidden Bush, 2840 E. U.S. Highway 101, Port Angeles.
■ Therapeutic Solutions, 661 Ness’ Corner Road, Port Hadlock.
■ Weeds NW LLC, 3368 E. Kolonels Way, Port Angeles
■ What Now! LLC, 306362 U.S. Highway 101, Brinnon
To view the applications that were filed before Nov. 26, refer to the downloadable spreadsheet available at www.tinyurl.com/pdn-potlist.
A marijuana license is an endorsement on an existing business license.
Applicants must go through state and FBI criminal background checks, and cannot have any felony convictions within the past 10 years.
_________
Reporter Rob Ollikainen can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5072, or at rollikainen@peninsuladailynews.com.