Council adopts retail cannabis ordinance with limits, buffers and priority for longtime title‑holders

The Lynnwood City Council voted Sept. 22 to adopt Ordinance 3489, allowing retail cannabis in specified commercial zones with several council‑approved amendments designed to limit clustering and give priority to longstanding local applicants.

The ordinance, as approved, sets zoning rules and regulatory requirements for retail cannabis stores in Lynnwood. Councilmembers approved a package of amendments that includes a ceiling of no more than four retail cannabis licenses in the city, a requirement that priority be given to applicants who currently hold a Lynnwood title certificate issued by the Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board, and a 100‑foot buffer between retail cannabis outlets and listed sensitive uses (schools and playgrounds, among other entities identified in the code). The council also adopted an amendment requiring retail stores to be certified as medical marijuana providers under the state Liquor and Cannabis Board as a condition of operation.

The final ordinance passed on a 5‑2 roll call vote. Councilmembers Coelho, Bridal (vice president), Hurst, Escamilla and Lewyler voted yes; Councilmembers Decker and Parchell voted no.

Council President Coelho urged approval as consistent with the city’s objective of supporting lawful local businesses. “If we are to say that Lynnwood is a business‑friendly city, how can we continue to ban entrepreneurs from opening a retail business that is lawful and very well regulated?” Coelho said during debate.

Supporters said the city needed clear local rules after long delays in state licensing. Carl Omgren, the city’s community planning manager, told the council that staff considered several options and that leaving a strict ban in place would simply prevent regulated local businesses from operating. Several councilmembers emphasized the city’s interest in dispersing stores to avoid clustering and in protecting youth: amendments proposed a 100‑foot buffer and in some failed motions larger buffers for certain recreation facilities.

Opponents worried the measure would increase availability of high‑potency products and could bring undesirable effects to neighborhoods. Councilmember Decker, one of two no votes, said he had seen security guards outside stores during late‑night observations and cited those observations to argue for cautious siting. Resident commenters and some councilmembers also argued for stronger limits on product potency or local restrictions on high‑THC items; those product‑specific limits were not included in the ordinance.

The council’s action followed months of public discussion and Planning Commission review. The ordinance and its amendments reflect a mix of approaches: a quantitative cap on licenses (no more than four), location rules (100‑foot general buffers to specified uses), operational conditions (WSLCB medical provider certification requirement), and a licensing priority for applicants who held Linwood title certificates for an extended period.

Omgren and Principal Planner Rebecca Sami described next steps: the ordinance will be published and the city will begin accepting business license applications consistent with the new rules after the required legal advertisement period. Staff cautioned that obtaining a City business license does not substitute for state licensure by the Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board; applicants must complete state processes and any local land‑use or permitting requirements.

The council also debated, and rejected, several proposed amendments during the meeting, including a proposal to require a 300‑foot buffer specifically for recreation centers and a proposal to prohibit stores abutting residentially zoned parcels. A separate effort to impose a 1,000‑foot spacing rule between any two retail cannabis locations did not pass.