Liquor Control Board to file single revision to marijuana rules
Published 2:58 pm Friday, September 13, 2013
The Washington State Liquor Control Board (WSLCB) announced today that it will file an emergency rule on Oct. 16 to make a single technical revision to the recreational marijuana rules.
The emergency rule will revise the method of measurement of the 1,000-foot buffer measurement between a licensed marijuana business and an elementary or secondary school, playground, recreation center or facility, child care center, public park, public transit center, library or arcade where admission is not restricted to those age 21 and older. The emergency rule will not affect the Initiative 502 implementation timeline.
Earlier this month, the WSLCB allocated a maximum of 334 retail outlets statewide, including two in Redmond and 61 in King County overall.
The current proposed rules filed with the code reviser on Sept. 4 state “the distance shall be measured along the most direct route over or across established public walks, streets, or other public passageway between the proposed building/business location to the perimeter of the grounds.”
The emergency rule will state: “The distance shall be measured as the shortest straight line distance from the property line of the licensed premises to the property line of the entities listed below…”
“The current measurement mirrors the existing method of measurement between liquor-licensed businesses and schools,” said agency director Rick Garza. “We’ve since learned that this measurement, as it pertains to marijuana, conflicts with federal law. Although the emergency rule won’t be filed until Oct. 16, it is critical that we announce our intentions now so that potential licensees, local government and law enforcement will have clarity and predictability going forward.”
The I-502 timeline includes: public hearings on permanent rules in Seattle (Oct. 8) and Spokane (Oct. 9); board adoption of permanent rules, including the emergency rule on the 1,000-foot measurement (Oct. 16); permanent rules become effective (Nov. 16); emergency rule on the 1,000-foot measurement becomes effective (Nov. 17); the WSLCB begins taking applications — 30-day window (Nov. 18); and deadline for adopting I-502 rules (Dec. 1).
