Auburn Council Adopts Zoning Rules for Consumable Hemp Retailers; One Member Opposes

The Auburn City Council on May 19 adopted zoning-text amendments to establish where retailers of consumable hemp products may be located and what design standards apply.

Staff and the planning director said the ordinance is more prescriptive than prior language: it identifies specific zoning districts where the use may be considered (primarily mixed-use and commercial corridors), requires conditional-use approval rather than permitting the use by right, and codifies buffers from churches, schools and playgrounds. The measure also breaks consumable hemp retail into distinct categories (standalone retail, pharmacy sales, and retail-food contexts) and couples local zoning review with state licensing checkpoints.

One councilmember objected, saying passage would "legalize the sale of consumable hemp products with the mistaken belief that they are safe and good for our community," and announced an intention to vote no. Staff responded that the ordinance does not itself authorize sales but provides zoning clarity and that conditional-use review and ABC licensing are layers of oversight.

Planning staff said there are no existing businesses that would be grandfathered outside the new parameters and that some pending applications in Planning Commission would be evaluated under the new standards. The ordinance makes the consumable-hemp retail use a conditional use and intends to apply consistent standards across eligible districts.

Council discussion focused on enforcement mechanisms, district appropriateness, and ensuring consistent application across the city. The draft ordinance had been developed with input from planning, legal, public safety and finance staff, according to the planning director.