Nothing in this code or the ordinances of the City shall be construed as an authorization to violate any federal law. Affirmative terminology used in this section regarding permitting, licensing, authorization, and similar terms shall not be construed as approval, support, endorsement, or encouragement of the activities addressed in this code or City ordinances with regard to cannabis businesses. Such terms shall instead be construed only to describe circumstances under which there is conditional absence of local prohibition. The City does not intend to aid, abet, counsel, command, induce or procure any offense against the United States. The City also does not intend to conspire with any cannabis producer, processor, researcher, or retailer to commit any offense against the United States. The purpose of all regulations relating to cannabis businesses is to establish local laws which protect public safety, health and welfare to the greatest extent allowed by a Washington State law that cannot be reconciled with federal law. Nothing herein shall be construed to supersede federal law prohibiting the possession, use, manufacture, or sale of cannabis.
The following standards shall apply to cannabis businesses:
A. No person or entity may apply for, receive or maintain a permit to locate a
cannabis business in the City unless that person or entity holds a valid cannabis business license from the Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board verifying that the business complies with Chapter
314-55 WAC and all state laws relating to
cannabis businesses. A
cannabis business with an active administrative violation notice from the Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board and/or a suspended license shall not be permitted to locate in the City until the violation is resolved and/or any associated fines have been paid or suspensions concluded.
B. Cannabis businesses shall maintain a 1,000-foot separation from the perimeter of the grounds of any of the following entities:
1. Elementary or secondary school;
3. Recreation center or facility;
8. Any game arcade (where admission is not restricted to persons age 21 or older);
9. Properties owned or under contract by a public entity such as a school district or the City where a future elementary or secondary school or public park is planned when such plans have been approved or adopted by the public entities’ governing authority; or
10. Another cannabis business, except that a cannabis researcher shall not have this particular separation requirement.
Definitions of subsections (B)(1) through (B)(8) of this section, and the methodology for measuring the buffers outlined above, shall be as provided in Chapter
314-55 WAC.
C. Cannabis businesses shall not be located on a parcel any portion of which is within 200 feet of a residential zone (R-1, R-4, R-6, R-12, R-18, R-24, R-48, or UR).
D. Cannabis producers or cannabis processors shall not be located in a building that includes residential uses.
E. Outdoor cannabis production shall be prohibited.
F. Drive-through cannabis retail sales shall be prohibited.
G. Signage for
cannabis businesses shall comply with Chapter
18.42 KMC and Chapter
314-55 WAC. In the event of a conflict between these regulations, the more restrictive regulation shall apply.
H. A cannabis business shall have a valid City business license.
I. By accepting a permit issued pursuant to this section, the licensee, its owners, officers, operators, and employees, waives and releases the City, its officers, officials, employees, volunteers and agents from any and all liability for injuries, damages, suits or liabilities, including attorneys’ fees, that result from any arrest or prosecution of licensees’ owners, officers, operators, employees, clients or customers for a violation of federal, State or local laws and regulations.
J. By accepting a permit issued pursuant to this chapter, the licensee, its owners, officers, operators, and employees, indemnifies, defends and holds harmless the City, its officers, officials, employees, volunteers, agents, insurers and self-insurance pool against any and all liability, claims, injuries, damages, losses or suits, including attorneys’ fees, arising out of or in any manner connected with the cannabis business that is the subject of the license.
K. In addition to any other applicable remedy and/or penalty, any violation by a licensee, and persons associated with licensee as described in subsections
I and
J of this section, of this code or City ordinances is declared to be a public nuisance per se, and may be abated by the City under the applicable provisions of this code or State law including, but not limited to, Chapter
1.20 KMC.
(Ord. 14-0384, § 7; Ord. 16-0421, § 2 (Att. A); Ord. 23-0574, § 2 (Exh. A); Ord. 24-0607, § 2 (Exh. A(XXIII)))