The Covington City Council voted to extend the interim zoning regulations for recreational marijuana businesses for another six months.

The interim zoning ordinance was amended and adopted in April 2014 after an emergency ordinance was passed in November 2013 declaring the need for interim zoning regulations. The interim regulations have been extended in six-month increments since.

Community Development Director Richard Hart said the city is waiting to find out if the state House and Senate will consider legislation involving recreational and medical marijuana that would affect land-use regulations.

In November 2012 general election, Washington voters passed I-502, allowing possession of recreational marijuana for personal and private use. A system for production, sale and licensing has been enacted by the Washington State Liquor Control Board.

Liquor Control Board regulations for recreational marijuana include the minimum 1,000 feet distance between a licensed marijuana business and an “elementary or secondary school, playground, recreation center or facility, child care center, public park, public transit center, library or arcade where admission is not restricted to those age 21 and older.” The interim regulations on the city website stated, “recreational marijuana production and processing uses may only locate in the city’s Industrial (I) zone and retail uses may only locate in the Mixed Commercial (MC) and General Commercial (GC) zones, subject to both state and city regulations, including sensitive uses buffers.”

The city’s first recreational marijuana business, Crimson Wave, opened at 27623 Covington Way S.E.

A medical marijuana facility, Covington Holistic Medicine, has operated in the city for several years.

According city staff, if the land use buffer regulations from the state are applied to medical marijuana businesses, Covington Holistic Medicine may have to move because of its proximity to the library.