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Commission relays caution on allowing marijuana cultivation and processing in North Bend
Summary
At a Nov. 17 work session the Planning Commission reviewed a proposed code amendment to allow marijuana cultivation and processing in heavy industrial zones with conditional use; commissioners generally opposed permitting cultivation/processing and asked staff to keep medical and recreational distinctions in the code.
City planners presented a proposed text amendment on Nov. 17 to allow marijuana cultivation and processing in the heavy industrial zone under conditional use review and to consolidate city code (chapters 5.30 and 5.31) so the city could access state shared marijuana tax revenue. Staff said the proposed ordinance would add standards for odor control, security, waste management and distance from sensitive uses.
Palak Pandey, city planner, told commissioners that in January the council directed staff to examine whether allowing cultivation and processing could make North Bend eligible for additional state-shared marijuana tax revenue. Pandey said the draft would allow cultivation and processing only in the heavy industrial zone and only with a conditional-use permit, and proposed consolidating dispensary, cultivation and processing regulations to avoid duplication.
A commissioner and other commenters urged keeping medical and recreational regulatory distinctions clear because state licensing remains different for medical and recreational operations. One commenter said those differences matter at the state level and recommended code language that consolidates duplicated city requirements while flagging state-level distinctions.
Commissioners debated whether potential revenue (one commissioner cited roughly $14,000) justified allowing cultivation or processing in the city. Several members voiced opposition to permitting cultivation or processing within city limits, citing community character and concerns such as odor and impacts on residential areas. Staff noted that using conditional-use review would limit practical approvals even if the code were changed.
By the end of the session commissioners generally agreed not to advance a code change to permit cultivation and processing at this time and asked staff to preserve clear distinctions in the code between medical and recreational licensing. The work session closed at 8:08 p.m.
