Council signals support to defer local retail cannabis registration to Benton County, asks staff to draft temporary-event permit

City/county attorney Ashley Bowski told the Foley City Council that Benton County plans to consider a draft ordinance that would allow the county to issue local retail registrations for cannabis after state licensing. Under the draft the county would cap retail registrations countywide at four; the county's draft does not restrict where within the county the four could be located.

Bowski said the county proposal allows participating cities to sign a joint powers agreement delegating local retail registration to the county. She also recommended the city consider adopting its own ordinance to permit and regulate temporary cannabis events, because the county's rules would not automatically cover city event permitting.

Councilors discussed whether to ask the county to limit the number of local retail registrations in Foley to one based on population. One councilor said a municipal store would not count against that cap if the city later chose to operate a municipal shop. Several councilors expressed support for cooperating with the county to reduce staff burden and to maintain consistent countywide regulation. The council signaled a consensus to proceed with the county ordinance and asked staff to draft a city ordinance for temporary cannabis events and to transmit suggested language to the county if the council wishes a local cap.

No formal ordinance vote occurred; staff will provide draft language and transmit council comments to Benton County ahead of the county's public hearing on Nov. 19.