Pasco, Washington has made a significant shift in policy this week by officially ending its decade-long prohibition on cannabis retailers.
According to the Tri-City Herald, a 5-3 vote by the city council on Monday paved the way for zoning modifications that effectively lift the ban. As reported by the newspaper, this development symbolizes the conclusion of ten years of efforts by local cannabis advocates and business owners to relax the city’s regulations.
The city, with a population of 80,000, will now see the lifting of the prohibition in three commercial areas (C-1, C-2, and C-3) and three industrial regions (I-1, I-2, and I-3). The change will stimulate business in specific sections along North Road 68, Kings Corner, Broadmoor Boulevard, East Lewis Street, and Court Street, and is slated to take effect five days after the approval, contingent on publication prerequisites, according to the Herald.
Pasco now takes the lead among the “Tri-Cities,” an eastern Washington metropolitan area made up of three neighboring communities (Richland and Kennewick are the other two).
Washington became one of the inaugural states to legalize recreational cannabis for adults in 2012, following the approval of a popular vote to terminate prohibition, a motion mirrored by Colorado in the same year.
However, some municipalities and countries chose to reject the new legislation in Washington, preferring to prohibit the retail sale of cannabis within their territory.
Nevertheless, as legalization gained traction nationwide over the years, the mindset of some locals in these areas started to shift. The Tri-City Herald published earlier this year that a 2021 community poll showed that 46% of Pasco’s residents would oppose amendments permitting marijuana retail sales within the city, while about 45% expressed strong or moderate support for the idea.
In March, the newspaper detailed that the Pasco city council had agreed to move forward with the formulation of an ordinance to lift its ban on retail cannabis in commercial and industrial zones, dismissing a suggestion to solicit public opinion on the matter.
The Herald indicated at that time, “This decision positions Pasco on the verge of being the first Tri-Cities’ municipal government to lift its prohibition on retail cannabis. Before shops can begin selling marijuana, they must first approve an ordinance in the forthcoming weeks or months. It’s projected that cannabis retailers could generate a minimum of $200,000 annually in revenue for Pasco, as stated by Interim City Manager Adam Lincoln.”
More specifics on the new ordinance have been provided by the city council:
The initial draft of the ordinance restricts the potential number of cannabis retail facilities to three (3) stores with an allowance for a total of four (4) stores if one qualifies as a “social equity licensee.” This corresponds with the current number of licenses allocated to the City of Pasco and Franklin County as a whole by the Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board. Although the effect of the Social Equity License Program is not explicitly clear, there seems to be a possibility for licenses allocated to other counties to be used in Pasco in the future, thus prompting the inclusion of a limit on retail facilities in the draft ordinance. Nevertheless, this is not obligatory for any ordinance and can be amended should the Council decide to do so. It’s important to mention that the draft ordinance doesn’t permit ‘cooperatives’ and continues to prohibit cannabis production and processing facilities within the City of Pasco, aligning with the Council’s request.”
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