Washington: Seattle City Council Approves Marijuana Zoning Measure

Seattle’s City Council has officially voted on the limits as to where recreational marijuana-related businesses can setup shop.

Last Monday, the council members sanctioned a zoning measure for marijuana processing facilities, cultivation operations and retail outlets. The measure in question also restricts indoor marijuana farming grow spaces to 20,000 square feet and will only permit them to be located in specific industrial areas.

The state of Washington’s laws regarding recreational marijuana already include zoning requirements which are designed to keep marijuana-related businesses away from schools, parks and playgrounds. Seattle’s new measure constrains said businesses from locating in historic and landmark districts and residential areas as well.

Furthermore, when the calendar reaches January 1, 2015, any medical marijuana operations located within the city limits will be required to obtain state licenses in order to continue operating their businesses.

Due to the fact that the state doesn’t have a regulated medical marijuana system, officials are busy working on ways to regulate medical marijuana so that it doesn’t challenge recreational marijuana sales or give reason for the federal government to intervene.

The unofficial timeframe for the grand opening of the state’s recreational marijuana marketplace is supposedly by summer of 2014. Will you be one of the first people in line?

(c) The 420 Times – Read entire story here.