Everett wants moratorium on medical marijuana gardens

The city of Everett is calling for an emergency one-year moratorium on medical marijuana gardens, joining four other Snohomish County cities that have already temporarily banned or plan to ban the gardens.

This morning the city placed two emergency ordinances on Wednesday’s City Council agenda. The first is an interim ordinance that establishes zones and baseline regulations for how medical marijuana gardens could operate in the city. The second is a one-year moratorium on the gardens so city staff have a chance to research the issue, city spokeswoman Kate Reardon said.

The paperwork on the city’s website didn’t provide details on what those baseline regulations might be or where the gardens would be prohibited. Reardon said the gardens would be limited to agricultural areas and the planning director would have to OK any proposed gardens.

The cover sheet of the ordinance did indicate the reason for the moratorium is “to prevent the widespread proliferation of unregulated collective gardens throughout the city.”

The city also needs additional time to figure out regulations that would address concerns related to the storage and handling of chemical compounds, exhaust and air quality, storage of cannabis, electrical wiring, public safety and crime prevention, according to the ordinance.

Lake Stevens, Marysville and Snohomish have all adopted six-month moratoriums. The Mukilteo City Council is poised to vote on the matter next week.

Gov. Chris Gregoire vetoed large sections of a bill in the spring that would have expanded the state’s medical marijuana law. A portion that would have legalized medical marijuana dispensaries was vetoed while part of the bill that allows for collective gardens was left in.

Under the new law, up to 10 qualifying patients can grow 45 plants at a collective garden. The law allows cities to license, zone and impose health and safety requirements on collective gardens within their jurisdiction.