Yakima County marijuana vote could come June 10

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YAKIMA, Wash. — Yakima County commissioners plan to discuss whether to ban retail pot sales in the county June 10 and could take a vote at that meeting.

Although roughly 100 people turned out to a public hearing Tuesday night, not much new information was added to the debate, Yakima County Commissioner Kevin Bouchey said Wednesday in a telephone interview.

Roughly 20 people spoke at the hearing at the Holiday Inn, with five speaking in favor of banning the growing, processing and selling of recreational marijuana in unincorporated areas of the county.

“I really hadn’t heard anything unique as far as from both perspectives — those seeking a ban and those against it,” Bouchey said.

Arguments against a ban focused on the benefits such business could bring, including tax revenue, while those in favor of a ban raised potential public safety issues.

Bouchey declined to say how he would vote. “I’m going to reserve that position until the final deliberations on June 10th,” he said.

Nevertheless, commissioners in the past have voiced support for a ban, saying that a majority of voters in the county didn’t support Initiative 502, which legalized recreational marijuana.

Bouchey said that is something he will consider strongly when making his decision.

Earlier this year, commissioners directed staff in the county’s planning department to draft a proposed land-use ordinance banning from all unincorporated areas operations that grow, process and sell recreational marijuana. Last month, the county Planning Commission rejected the proposal, saying that it feared an ordinance zoning out such operations across all land under county authority could be legally challenged.

But the county’s chief civil prosecutor said using a land-use ordinance to zone them out is the appropriate tool for such a ban.

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Yakima County marijuana vote could come June 10