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Processing business owner urges city to reconsider marijuana retail limits in industrial park
Summary
A Moon Tower Pines owner told the planning commission on Nov. 20 he would prefer to add a retail outlet within his existing industrial-park building rather than build a new retail structure; staff advised the owner to take the request to City Council for a code change.
During public comment at the Nov. 20 Estacada Planning Commission meeting, Aaron Lam, owner of Moon Tower Pines (a cannabis processing business at 3045 NW Campus Drive), told commissioners he is exploring opening a retail outlet for his products in an existing industrial-park unit and asked the city to reconsider zoning limits that restrict retail in the industrial park.
Lam said the industrial park currently has a moratorium on marijuana retail in the spaces where processors or other nonretail operations are located and that adding a retail outlet built to current retail zoning would likely require new construction or displace an existing business. "What I'm asking for is the possibility to have, in addition to my processing business, on my separate unit, have a retail business there," Lam said, explaining that his preference would be to use vacant space in his building for a small outlet rather than develop greenfield land or change the visual character at the highway gateway.
Planning staff advised that the municipal code and council direction established the current locational restrictions and that any change to allow retail in the industrial park would require a City Council direction to staff and subsequent code amendments. Commissioners and staff recommended Lam bring the matter directly to the City Council if he wants the city to reopen the zoning question; staff described the process as a council-level policy decision that would then be returned to planning commission for public hearings if council directs code changes.
Commissioner comments included a legal concern that narrowing allowable retail to particular parcels could invite legal challenges; Commissioner Perkins said he was concerned the current restrictions may be vulnerable to challenge but noted that changing that policy would be a council-level action.
Lam asked that the council consider the public-safety and aesthetic implications of siting retail at the town gateway and offered Troutdale as a model where retail cannabis is located within the industrial park rather than on the main highway approach.
Staff next steps recommended to Lam: present the idea and supporting materials to City Council and request that council direct staff to prepare code amendments for council and planning commission review.
