Planning Commission recommends ban on marijuana businesses in Federal Way

Published 12:55 pm Thursday, September 18, 2014

The Federal Way Planning Commission met on Wednesday to hear city staff recommendation on whether marijuana-related businesses should be allowed in certain zones.

Senior Planner Janet Shull presented to the commission that marijuana retail businesses be allowed in the Community Business and Commercial Enterprise zoning districts while marijuana processing and production facilities only set up shop in the Commercial Enterprise zones.

In all cases, marijuana-related businesses would be subject to state separation requirements that specify marijuana-related businesses be located at least 1,000 feet from sensitive land uses, which include daycares, schools, playgrounds, parks, recreation facilities, public transit centers, libraries or game arcade, which is not restricted to people age 21 or older.

City officials said no one spoke at the public hearing but a letter was submitted by a citizen on behalf of a marijuana retail license applicant. The letter encouraged the Planning Commission to approve the proposed regulations.

However, after a robust discussion, Commissioner Lawson Bronson made a motion to ban all recreational marijuana businesses in Federal Way. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Diana Noble-Gulliford and was passed with five in favor and one opposed.

The Mirror will update this report in a future newspaper edition, as the Planning Commission meeting was on the editorial team’s story deadline.