Okanogan County extends temporary moratorium on new cannabis operations through Sept. 30

The Okanogan County Board of Commissioners voted to continue a temporary moratorium on permitting new cannabis producers and processors until Sept. 30, 2025, to allow county staff time to pursue compliance work and review zoning and density rules.

Planning Director Pete Palmer told the commissioners that the county is tracking 136 state-licensed cannabis producers and processors on 58 parcels on the county side of the Okanogan River, and that 23 parcels are currently noncompliant. "We placed the new moratorium ... to give us the opportunity to work with these operations in hopes of getting them all compliant, and then revisit our code to look at density and zone areas," Palmer said.

The moratorium, adopted in March 2025 as Ordinance 2025-2, halts permitting for new operations during the extension while staff draft code changes and meet with stakeholders. Commissioners said they want work sessions this summer to discuss density limits, zoning districts where cannabis operations should be allowed, and whether to limit the number of licenses per parcel. The county clarified the moratorium applies only to parcels on the county side of the river; tribal lands and reservation trust lands are governed separately.

Commissioners recorded a motion to extend the moratorium to Sept. 30, 2025. The extension passed with two votes in favor and one abstention. The planning department will report back to the board in August with progress and proposed code amendments.

The moratorium does not affect existing licensed operations. Palmer and commissioners emphasized future work would focus on compliance outreach for current operators and changes to the county code to address odor, lighting, size, and density concerns.

Looking ahead, the board asked staff to arrange public work sessions and to return with draft code language prior to the ordinance’s expiration so elected officials can consider adoption or further direction.