Friday, March 29, 2024

Brewster gives thumbs down to cannabis

Federal prohibition cited

Posted

BREWSTER – There will be no cannabis retail store within the city limits following a unanimous vote by the Brewster City Council on August 14 to deny a request by Saranjit Bassi, owner of Forbidden Cannabis Club in Okanogan to open one here.

Following public comment both supporting and opposing a retail marijuana store in the city, council members voted against the proposal out of concern that allowing the sale of a substance that is currently in violation of federal law might jeopardize the city’s access to future funding.

Bassi asked the council last June to reconsider allowing a retail cannabis store within the city limits. At that meeting city attorney Chuck Zimmerman explained the 2012 city ordinance that allows the city to deny a license to any activity that is illegal under state or federal law.

Council member John Housden suggested the council defer any decision until Bassi could identify a location that would not violate existing buffer zones.

Bassi returned for the July council meeting with a potential store site at 416 N. Bridge Street where The Land Company building now stands. Council members expressed concerns over traffic flow on nearby Lakeview Drive, a one-way street, parking space, and the city’s ability to control related operations. The matter was referred to Zimmerman for further research.

At last week’s meeting Bassi, from Bonny Lake, returned to learn which way the council vote would go.

Homeowner Juan Hernandez whose property on Lakeview Drive is just north of the site under consideration voiced concern over traffic congestion, parking, and property value.

“How is this going to affect the value of my property?” asked Hernandez who suggested that many potential buyers may not want to purchase a home close to a cannabis business.

Brewster businesswoman CasSondra Hogan discussed some of the applications and benefits of medical marijuana and suggested that many users would welcome a closer source of those products than Okanogan.

“We have a liquor store in town,” said Hogan, “and liquor has more downfalls against your town than cannabis ever will, I can almost guarantee you that.”

Council member John Housden was firm and direct in his opposition to cannabis in Brewster.

“I will not change my mind on this measure as long as it’s against federal law,” Housden said.

He reminded the meeting that Brewster relies on federal loans and grants to assist the city with infrastructure projects. Brewster is currently upgrading its city well and water system with $10 million in federal funds.

The question was put to 12th District State Representative Keith Goehner who was present at the meeting. Goehner concurred with Housden that the federal government did have the option to consider city compliance issues when evaluating funding requests.

The current administration has taken some sanctuary cities to task over stands not to comply with some immigration regulations.

 The council voted unanimously to rejects Bassi’s request to locate a retail cannabis store in Brewster.

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