The Elma council voted 4-1 in favor of changing a city ordinance to allow for the retail sale of marijuana within city limits. Councilman Jim Taylor cast the lone dissenting vote.
A public hearing attended by hearing examiner Neil Aaland was conducted on Wednesday, Aug. 16. Testimony and reports were taken into account at the meeting before Aaland filed his report on Aug. 30.
The findings in Aaland’s report were adopted by the council and resulted in the following stipulations for retail marijuana sales in Elma:
Marijuana retail stores in Elma cannot be within 1,000 feet of elementary or secondary schools. Stores also cannot be within 500 feet of recreation centers, child care centers, public parks, public transit centers, public libraries or game arcades where admission is not restricted to those 21 years old and older.
Marijuana stores setting up shop in Elma cannot be located within another business and are only allowed to share a building with another business if full walls separate the businesses in addition to having separate entrances.
Hours of operation for retail marijuana stores in Elma are limited to 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. No more than two of these businesses are permitted to operate within the city and they are required to hold a license issued by Washington State and a business license issued by the city. Elma currently has one pending request for a retail marijuana operation.
Councilman David Blackett noted at a work session on June 26 that he was only considering the proposal because of the potential for tax revenue the stores would bring to Elma. The comment was met with agreement from council members with the exception of Councilman Jim Taylor who said he was against retail marijuana within Elma.
“I just have to share that pursuing the sale of a drug in the name of revenue I think is a bad step,” Taylor said on Monday.
No members of the public were present at the council meeting to give input on retail marijuana within Elma city limits.
The Elma City Council will hold its next meeting on Oct. 2.
