Wrangell’s Planning and Zoning Commission took a first look at what it would take for a licensed marijuana operator to set up shop on the island.
As summarized by Alaska’s Alcohol & Marijuana Control Office director Cynthia Franklin during a presentation made in Wrangell on March 1, where retail, growing, production and testing facilities are allowable within the state depends in part on a community’s zoning regulations.
Unlike liquor licensing, marijuana licenses will not be limited in number. It will be up to community governments to decide whether or not they wish to protest applications, and unless a decision to do so is deemed capricious by the Marijuana Control Board, Franklin said the state would side with the localities.
On Feb. 24 the MCB started receiving initial applications, and the first completed applications are expected to be submitted to local governments later this month. By May inventory tracking software is expected to be in place, and the first cultivation and testing licenses will be issued the following month. By September or October of this year, Franklin predicted the first retailers will be opening shops across the state.
Economic development director Carol Rushmore said she has already talked to a couple of people interested in retail or growing locally.
“It’s out here, it’s happening,” she told commissioners.
Notice was posted this week that one resident has already filed for several licenses. Under the name Happy Cannabis, Kelsey Martinsen and his wife Sarinee Nuamnui put in applications for licenses to retail, cultivate and manufacture concentrates with marijuana. The proposed business would be out of the former hotel behind the Diamond C, away from view of Main Street.
At the meeting Rushmore presented to them several maps of Wrangell which show approximate boundaries for established 500-foot drug-free zones surrounding the community’s schools and churches.
“Because of where our churches are located, we are very restricted in terms of where retail businesses could be,” she explained. Most of the west side of Front Street and parts of the Industrial Park fall without these zones, but prospective activities would be further limited to zoning.
One could not start up a growing operation in a commercial zone, for instance, without first obtaining a conditional use permit. But retail and wholesale activities would fall within the allowable commercial zoning, and so an establishment would only need its state licensing to operate.
Meanwhile, licensed growing operations could be allowed in rural residential and industrial zoning, with conditional use approved.
“I’m just kind of introducing it to you,” Rushmore explained. She explained now would be a good time to introduce the question, as she does not foresee the Borough Assembly pursing an outright ban on such establishments, an action which is within its rights under Alaska’s legalization rules.
“My only concern would be growing in single-family residential,” noted commission chair Terri Henson during the ensuing discussion.
One resident appeared in order to listen to commissioners’ responses, and spoke up in favor of allowing cultivation in Wrangell. Duane King holds property in escrow at the industrial park and would like to set up a growing facility there. He explained the facility would be out of sight, and that there were options available to mitigate cannabis’ potent smell.
“It’s just a matter of maintaining it,” he explained. For efficiency and security the plants would be raised internally, with artificial lighting. King explained an information packet from the state was pretty comprehensive on what would be required to start and maintain such a business, and that the regulations were strict but straightforward.
Speaking in an interview afterward, Martinsen echoed that sentiment by pointing out the tracking requirements of the state which follow locally-produced marijuana from seedling to storefront.
“We just want to see it done right,” he said. “We want to keep it out of the hands of drug dealers that sell to kids.”
Commissioners seemed to appreciate this, and Jim Shoemaker recommended holding an informal session with the public to collect public input moving forward.
“I think it may give us some criteria so we can meet the needs,” he said. “I think it would be beneficial.”
A date for public comment has been set for April 14 at 6 p.m., ahead of the next Planning and Zoning meeting.
Dealing with another precedent, zoning commissioners began looking at codified distinctions between modular and mobile homes. Currently stick-built modular homes are treated more like permanent houses than trailers. An application for a building permit by Lloyd Ward was rejected by the city, which he then appealed to Planning and Zoning to resolve.
Commissioners agreed with Ward that what he was proposing was more in line with the characteristics of a mobile home as defined by city code. Rushmore explained she disagreed, which was why she had referred Ward to them in the hopes of pursuing a future ordinance change.
“I’m not opposed to having these kind of structures,” Henson said.
“Maybe we should be looking down the line,” said commissioner Don McConachie. Given the structure’s various merits – in terms of fire safety, cost, energy efficiency and aesthetic value – he envisioned they could be part of a new trend in affordable housing. “A modular home court rather than a trailer court,” he said.
“Local economy, local build – a win-win all around,” Shoemaker commented.
Commissioners approved the application, and will look toward amending Municipal Code to allow more modular-type homes at mobile home parks.
“It’s going to be a new thing to deal with,” Henson said.
Commissioners also approved applications for a variance request by Alaska Community Development Corporation for conditional use of an accessibility ramp; a request for contract zone from commercial to single-family residential use by Sarah and Andrew Scambler; and conditional use application by April Diane Larsson for limited operation of a day care facility on a property zoned waterfront development.
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