City of Tacoma Notice of Public Hearing January 14, 2015 On Tuesday, February 3, 2015, at approximately 5:30 p.m., the City Council will conduct a public hearing on the proposed adoption of permanent land use regulations concerning the production, processing, and retail sale of recreational marijuana. This hearing will take place in the City Council Chambers on the first floor of the Tacoma Municipal Building, 747 Market Street, Tacoma, Washington. All persons will have an opportunity to present their oral comments at the meeting. Those wishing to submit written comments may do so at the public hearing, or may submit them to the City Clerk's Office at cityclerk@cityoftacoma.org or 733 Market Street, Room 11, Tacoma, WA 98402, by 4:00 p.m., on Tuesday, February 3, 2015. Resolution No. 39095, which set the public hearing date, can be viewed in its entirety on the City's website at www.cityoftacoma.org/recentlegis by clicking on the link for January 13, 2015, or by requesting a copy from the City Clerk's Office at (253) 5915505. For more information, please contact Mr. Elliott Barnett at (253) 5915389. Doris Sorum City Clerk CITY COUNCIL PUBLIC HEARING February 3, 2015 SUBJECT Proposed Permanent Land Use Regulations pertaining to recreational marijuana. SUMMARY The proposal would set in place permanent land use regulations governing the production, processing, and retail sale of recreational marijuana within the City of Tacoma. The regulations would replace the interim regulations adopted by the City Council on November 5, 2013, and codified in Tacoma Municipal Code chapters 13.06, 13.06A, and 13.10. Specifically, the proposal would reaffirm the provisions of the interim regulations, clarify that all licensed marijuana uses must comply with City requirements, and expand areas where Marijuana Production and Processing, as well as Urban Horticulture, are permitted to include the M-1 Light Industrial and the CIX Commercial Industrial Mixed-Use Districts. BACKGROUND Initiative 502, approved by Washington voters in November 2012, provides a framework for licensing and regulating the production, processing, and retail sale of recreational marijuana. The Washington State Liquor Control Board ("WSLCB") was tasked with establishing rules and procedures to implement Initiative 502. The WSLCB rules, which became effective on November 16, 2013, provide a solid foundation for state-level regulations for recreational marijuana. Among other provisions, the rules cap the number of retail outlets that may be licensed per jurisdiction, setting a maximum of eight marijuana retailers in Tacoma. On November 5, 2013, the City Council enacted interim recreational marijuana land use regulations in order to provide regulatory guidance to facilitate the review of marijuana license applications expected to come forward starting December 2013. The interim regulations were also intended to provide adequate time for the City to evaluate the operations and impacts of the licensed marijuana businesses, and to allow the state to rectify the outstanding problems with the existing, largely unregulated medical marijuana system. In 2014, the state legislature deliberated regarding potential changes to address medical marijuana, but has not taken action to date. The WSLCB began issuing marijuana production and processing licenses in March 2014, and marijuana retail licenses in July 2014. Since, four production/processing and five retail recreational marijuana businesses have been licensed in Tacoma. On September 30, 2014, the Council extended the interim regulations until May 16, 2015, and further directed staff and the Planning Commission to develop recommendations for permanent marijuana regulations to replace the interim regulations, prior to their expiration on May 16, 2015. Pursuant to the City Council's direction, from October through December of 2014 the Planning Commission conducted an expedited public process to develop recommendations to update the City's marijuana regulations. On January 7, 2015 the Planning Commission forwarded their recommendations to the City Council. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Please visit the Planning Services Division's website at www.cityoftacoma.org/planning and click on "Recreational Marijuana Permanent Regulations". January 16