Dembowski statement on marijuana legislation

July 25, 2016

Summary

“I believe that we need more time and a lot more work to get the zoning rules right in order to ensure that voter-approved I-502 succeeds, that burdens and benefits are equitably shared, in a way that is compatible with surrounding uses, just like any other legal industry.”

Story

Metropolitan King County Council Vice Chair Rod Dembowski released this statement after tonight’s vote by the Council limiting the production, processing and retail of marijuana in the unincorporated areas of King County:

“We adopted zoning for legal marijuana uses two and half years ago. Residents have raised some heartfelt concerns about the location of some of these new businesses. I opposed today's proposal to remove hundreds of thousands of acres of land and to impose new burdens on this budding industry because I believe a lot more work is necessary to fully understand the impacts of the various proposals to change the rules related to marijuana.

“I believe that we need more time and a lot more work to get the zoning rules right in order to ensure that voter-approved I-502 succeeds, that burdens and benefits are equitably shared, in a way that is compatible with surrounding uses, just like any other legal industry.”