Council adopts zoning amendments to allow cannabis manufacturing and cultivation as conditional uses in industrial zones

The Blaine City Council on July 7 adopted zoning amendments to allow cannabis and hemp manufacturing and cultivation in specified industrial zones (I‑2 and I‑2A) as conditional uses after state rule changes made local prohibitions impermissible.

Assistant Community Development Director Sheila told council that the state’s recent rulemaking requires cities to allow manufacturing and cultivation; the proposed ordinance adds those uses to the I‑2 and I‑2A zoning districts and establishes indoor‑only standards and other conditions consistent with state statute.

Councilmembers expressed frustration that the changes were required by the state rather than initiated locally. “This is not something that this council wants to do. This is something that we had ordinances against, and the state said, knowing now you have to allow it,” Councilmember Larson said. Councilmember Newland said the action was driven by a state mandate and that the council had limited discretion over whether to allow the uses at all; Councilmember Robertson and others thanked staff for adjusting local code to comply with state rules that continue to change.

Staff said planning commission held a public hearing on June 10 and voted to approve the amendments; staff recommended adoption, and council held the second reading and adopted the changes. The amendments specify that manufacturing (processing of cannabis materials into products) must occur indoors, and the city added conditional‑use criteria and other standards consistent with state statute and the council’s prior direction about where such uses should be located.

No written public comments on the ordinance were recorded in the packet, according to staff. The ordinance amendments were item 9.7 on the July 7 agenda.