(Photo by David Clewett)
Prineville citizens gathered at Meadow Lakes Restaurant Wednesday morning for thefirst “What’s Brewing”weekly event of the fall. Nearly 50 people attended for an educational session on marijuana laws and land use ordinances as they pertain to Prineville city limits and potential marijuana businesses.
Currently there is one marijuana dispensary in the city and with the HB 3400 moratorium for local government opt outs expiring December 18 Prineville is reaching out to the community prior to making a decision.
In addition to providing information the session was intended to address the question of what the city will do if a business wants to open a grow operation in city limits.
Prineville City Planning Director Phil Stenbeck said, “It is a decision for the city. We need to deal with it at a local level. Should we move forward with changing local land use laws for marijuana?”
The meeting was intended to inform the community, learn how marijuana will affect citizens and discuss how they will respond.
Stenbeck presented on marijuana law at the federal, state and local level. He provided an account of each decision the city of Prineville has made in response to federal and state laws particularly in regard to land use regulations. He also shared what the city has done since the passage of Measure 91 and the subsequent passage of HB 3400.
This is a pertinent discussion for the city as recreational marijuana has become legal to purchase as of October 1st and citizens have many questions for how the new laws will impact the community.
“This meeting was about informing and educating the people of Prineville about marijuana laws in our town. 58% voted no on Measure 91 but that was a state vote. Now with the moratorium decision approaching we want to get the city’s opinion,” Stenbeck said.
Prineville has three options for how to proceed and the discussion will be whether or not to move forward with changing local land use laws for marijuana with the HB 3400 decision.
1) They can stick to complying with federal law.
2) They can change the comprehensive plan and allow dispensaries where state code allows.
3) They can update the city comprehensive plan and land use code and allow dispensaries inlocally approved areas of the city.
“It is a conundrum between federal, state, and local government with regard to local land use codes. In May 2014 we chose to go into a moratorium period because it was such a complicated land use issue. Now we are trying to hear from Prineville citizens and make a decision because we only have until December,” Stenbeck said.
Several large marijuana grow operations have contacted the city of Prineville and expressed interest in opening business in town. Colorado based Martra Holdings, Co. has been the most prominent suitor for a land purchase to build a large grow operation. The company promises job creation and intends to build several greenhouses then lease the spaces to smaller businesses who would occupy the greenhouses for their businesses.
Attendees pointed out that the company will create the infrastructure for people to come in and grow cannabis but questioned whether it would really create jobs. It was also noted that there are already several companies currently hiring in town.
Prineville Mayor Betty Roppe said that the “majority of city council would not allow the big grow operation to come to town even if it would create jobs.” She added that “we are not going to keep marijuana out of our community we just need to keep it safe and regulated.”
In response to potential marijuana businesses the city sent a survey to citizens of Prineville. Since this is a city matter rather than a county issue the surveys were sent to households with water and sewer bills.
“We crafted the survey for folks in city limits to see what they would say about allowing recreational grow operations if it created jobs,” Stenbeck said.
Approximately 3,800 surveys were sent and more than 500 were returned.
“The survey results have varied from entirely allowing marijuana to suggestions to throw all marijuana users in jail,” Stenbeck said.“We are collecting the information from the surveys and will meet on Tuesday to discuss the survey results.”
If the city allows marijuana grow sites and dispensaries one issue will be finding the best location for the businesses. Prineville has established land use ordinances intended to protect minors that disallows marijuana near schools, residential areas, churches, libraries, government buildingsand parks which makes it difficult for cannabis businesses to open in city limits.
“Those land use changes meant there really are very few places for a marijuana dispensary to go,” Stenbeck said.
He created a map to show where marijuana businesses would be allowed and not allowed based on land use codes.
Crook County Commissioner Ken Fahlgren spoke on behalf of the county and said that the “county doesn’t have many options for grow sites. Land use and exclusive farm use zones limit possibilities. Federal Post Offices in Post and Paulina make land limited for grow operations.”
With limited opportunity on the valley floor, and recognizing the need to provide a place for local medical marijuana card holders to purchase, the city has designated the Industrial Park Zone on the hill as an appropriate location for a potential grow operations.
With the December 18 deadline approaching Prineville will continue to educate the community and gather information to make a well-represented decision for how to approach the topic of marijuana businesses in city limits.
