Pullman City Council grapples with buffer zones for pot retailers

PULLMAN – Much of the Pullman City Council is on board with allowing more marijuana retailers in town, but there are still concerns about where those businesses will be allowed to set up shop.

The council discussed potential revisions to the city’s marijuana regulations in light of changing state legislation during Tuesday’s meeting. No action was taken.

A moratorium on new marijuana retailers has been in place since November, as the Pullman Planning Department and planning commission have worked to see how changes in 2015 Washington legislation will affect the city. The moratorium is set to expire Aug. 31.

Planning Director Pete Dickinson said one of the primary issues brought forth by the legislation is the change in the size of the buffer zones. A 1,000-foot buffer is still required between marijuana retailers and schools or playgrounds, but the state now requires only 100 feet between the shops and child care centers, recreation centers, public parks, public transit, libraries and arcades.

“I’m not comfortable with 100 feet,” Councilor Eileen Macoll said. “It just seems too tight.”

Councilor Jeff Hawbaker recommended 300 feet for the buffer zone. Councilor Al Sorenson suggested 500 feet, and Councilor Pat Wright agreed that a 500-foot buffer zone would remain sensitive to concerns of exposure to children.

“I also think it’s unfair to the three existing ones that are in town that have invested a lot of money in their current facilities, where I guarantee you they would have rather been someplace else,” Sorenson said. All three of Pullman’s marijuana retailers are located along Southeast Bishop Boulevard.

Pullman Police Cmdr. Chris Tennant said law enforcement officials find no “major concern” with decreasing the buffer zones to as little as 100 feet.

“I really don’t see that the buffer zone reduction, especially in the downtown area, is going to cause an issue,” he said.

Dickinson told the council he could provide maps at a later meeting that show both 300-foot and 500-foot buffer zones.

The council also considered the increase in the number of marijuana retail licenses the state allows in the city. There are now three licensed marijuana retailers in Pullman, but the state will allow a total of five.

The council can either set a limit on the number of pot shops allowed, Dickinson said, or let the state control that number. He recommended the city choose the latter option.

“I don’t have a problem with as many stores as they’re wanting,” Sorenson said. “At some point, we’re going to get saturated, and that’s with any business.”

In other business Tuesday, the council voted unanimously to annex a 107-acre parcel of land west of Pullman. Germain Farms owns the land, south of Wawawai Road between Golden Hills Drive and U.S. Highway 195, all of which is farmland.

Not included in the area of annexation is a 4.6-acre parcel at the southeast corner of Wawawai Road and the highway.

The Pullman Planning Commission initially recommended annexing that portion as well, which is where Hinrichs Trading Co. is situated. But Phil Hinrichs asked the council Tuesday night for some more time before that takes place.

The business, which exports garbanzo bean products, has been operating successfully in the light industrial zone designated by Whitman County, Hinrichs said. If annexed into the city, his 4.6-acre lot would be zoned for general commercial business. He wants to further evaluate the effect of the zoning change.

“You asked to go slow,” Mayor Glenn Johnson said to Hinrichs, “so that’s what we’ve granted here tonight.”