Background
Voters in Washington have approved both medical and recreational marijuana. The City of Moses Lake will comply with state laws regulating marijuana.
Key Points
- Producing, processing, and retail sales of marijuana require licenses from the Liquor and Cannabis Board (LCB).
- The LCB will not issue a license within 1000' of an elementary or secondary school, playground, recreation center or facility, child care center, public park, public transit center, library, or arcade.
- Besides meeting the state location requirements, a proposed business must in an appropriate zone in order to be approved: C-2 for retail and Industrial for producers and processors.
- In addition to the state license, a City of Moses Lake business license is required. The business license will not be issued until the state license has been confirmed.
- Modifications to a building to accommodate a new business may require a building permit.
- The City Council adopted Moses Lake Municipal Code 18.50, Recreational Marijuana Businesses (PDF), to further clarify where production, processing, and retail businesses may locate and the specific standards that must be met.
Producers and Processors
- Producers and processors are regulated by the LCB and the City.
- Producers and processors are allowed only in the Industrial Zones
Retail
- The State has determined there may be up to 3 retail licenses in Moses Lake. The licenses were awarded through a state lottery, and all 3 businesses have been established.
For more information, see the Liquor Control Board's I-502 page.