Seattle City Council limits zones for marijuana sales

The Seattle City Council on Monday gave a limited way forward to the city’s medical-marijuana dispensaries, which face an uncertain future with the advent of statewide recreational marijuana sales.

The City Council gave the medical dispensaries and growers until January 2015 to apply for a state license to do business in compliance with Washington’s new marijuana laws.

“It is still going to be a rocky road, but we want to make this work,” said Councilmember Nick Licata, chairman of the Housing, Human Services, Health and Culture Committee.

The council also voted unanimously to limit the size of growing facilities and establish boundaries for where marijuana-related facilities can operate when legal sales start next year under voter-approved Initiative 502.

Growing operations may be no larger than 20,000 square feet in industrial areas and 10,000 square feet in industrial-commercial zones such as Sodo, the council decided.

Businesses will still have to abide by a statewide rule established by Initiative 502 that prohibits any marijuana-related businesses within 1,000 feet of a school, park or childcare facility.

The council voted to bar stores and growing operation — both recreational and medical — from single- and multi-family zones and historic districts, including much of downtown Seattle.

However, the status of medical marijuana dispensaries remains unclear, and several advocates at Monday’s council meeting urged the council to exempt medical-marijuana operations from having to obtain a new license.

“You are going to be punishing patients if they get shut down,” said Philip Dawdy, a medical marijuana activist.

Councilmembers said giving medical-marijuana dispensaries a 15-month “grace period” offers an opportunity for those providers to obtain legal status under the new system.