Since early in February 2016, Enumclaw rural residents have determined that King County has allowed without notice the siting of production marijuana and processing businesses in rural King County.

The Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board has oversight for placing of such businesses around the state. The King County Council has control over zoning regulations. The current situation is there are four such businesses in operation and a fifth has been approved within 30 feet of two homeowners in rural Enumclaw. We need your help to send a message to the King County Council to stop this injustice. We requested a moratorium April 6 at the King County Council meeting held in Ravensdale. Councilman Reagan Dunn sponsored the request and by an 8 to 1 vote the King County Council approved a four-month moratorium. We have attended numerous meetings in downtown Seattle to outline the impacts on our communities, and we have interacted with groups similarly effected from Redmond, Maple Valley, Covington, Black Diamond and Enumclaw. We are united in our concerns on the impact that is already happening to homeowners who without notice have these industrial businesses sited within feet of their residences.

On July 25, the King County Council will be deciding if they need to make more restrictive rules on zoning of such businesses in our rural areas. Currently in King County no urban residential area is zoned to allow marijuana production and processing. Only rural residential communities. We know that King County considers marijuana an agricultural product but under state and county zoning it is specifically called out as not agricultural. We in the rural areas implore you to send a message to the King County Council, read the attached blog and please sign your support and concerns about siting of marijuana production and processing in rural residential communities in King County.

Ted Barker and Lorna Rufener

Enumclaw