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Richland council asks staff to draft kratom ordinance and study MFTE options
Summary
After briefings, the council directed staff to develop ordinance options on kratom (council favored a local ban or minimum under-21 restriction with a sunset clause) and to return with MFTE implementation recommendations for targeted urban-center geography and ordinance language.
At the July 28 workshop the Richland City Council directed staff to follow up on two items: prepare ordinance options and implementation details on kratom regulation (staff recommended a Spokane-style sunset clause model) and analyze multifamily tax-exemption (MFTE) program choices, geography and fiscal impacts.
Council members voiced a range of views but coalesced around the need to act on kratom quickly to reduce youth access; several members favored a total local ban on retail sales (staff clarified the practical alternative is to consider banning concentrated 7‑OH products at retail) while others supported at least an under-21 restriction. On housing, council members broadly supported staff returning with recommended geographic boundaries and ordinance language for a potential MFTE program.
Next steps: staff will return with draft ordinance language, enforcement and fiscal estimates for kratom, and with a proposed MFTE implementation timeline, draft resolution of intent, public-outreach plan and suggested ordinance language.
