Countywide marijuana business moratorium

DAVENPORT – The Lincoln County Commissioners placed a moratorium on new licenses for commercial marijuana growing businesses in the county during its meeting Wednesday, Feb. 18.

The moratorium passed with unanimous consent and is effective for up to six months, with an option to extend. The commissioners passed the moratorium to allow time to consider changes to marijuana producing business regulations. Commission discussion indicated a desire to have the new regulations in place and lift the moratorium within 30 days.

Commissioner Scott Hutsell said the commission is not opposed to growing marijuana in Lincoln County.

Current licensing regulations only require a check for past criminal activity on a property.

The commission discussed a recent influx of mariuana growers into the country as regulations have become more stringent in other Washington counties. Under consideration for new regulations is the distance of outdoor growing operations from residential areas. The commission proposed a one-half mile buffer. An audience member described for the commission the odor of outdoor commercial marijuana growing as very pungent and “skunk-like.” That audience member recommended a buffer between marijuana plots and residential areas of sufficient size to limit odors in homes.