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Council adopts ordinance to make residential cannabis-grow limits enforceable by local prosecutor
Summary
Ordinance 12-15 updates local code to reference state statutory standards so the city prosecutor can enforce residential noncommercial cannabis growing limits; council noted a typographical correction and discussed limits of enforcement for odor complaints.
Lake Stevens’ City Council adopted Ordinance 12-15 on April 14 to align local enforcement of noncommercial residential cannabis growing with state law and to authorize prosecution through the city’s legal channels.
Police and code officials explained the measure would incorporate by reference the updated RCW evidence standards and the statutory limits on where growing may occur, allowing the city’s prosecutor to handle enforcement rather than relying solely on district court. The chief and code officer emphasized that the ordinance does not change land-use controls: zoning and licensing remain subject to separate regulations.
Councilors raised concerns about recurring neighborhood odor complaints and the practical limits on enforcement when a smell cannot be definitively traced to a single source. The chief said addressing odor complaints often requires coordination with state agencies or additional investigative resources, and that code enforcement’s role is primarily educational unless evidence supports formal action.
Council approved the ordinance after staff agreed to correct a noted typographical error.
Next steps: staff will correct the typographical error in the published ordinance text and implement enforcement coordination procedures with code and the prosecutor’s office.
