BETHEL— Bethel officials have approved a measure that puts a six-month hold on new marijuana operations in the city.
The moratorium approved Tuesday will keep the city from processing any land use, zoning or license approvals for new marijuana businesses, KYUK-FM reported.
Councilman Zach Fansler, who serves on the City Marijuana Advisory Committee, said the six-month hold will give the city time to figure out how to best implement its regulations. Two areas to further examine, he said, are zoning and marijuana use in public places.
“There’s a lot of question marks out there,” said Fansler. “This moratorium is looking to provide the committee time to do its job properly, provide us time to get clarification on things that others may be doing around the state, see what’s working and what isn’t and how these guidelines are being interpreted on a state level, and how it will affect us here since we are in a unique situation here compared to those on the road system.”
Fansler, who introduced the measure, said he plans for the city to bring in experts to help during the planning process, including legal counsel, emergency personnel and the Planning Committee.
“What we need is six months to do the work as a committee and do the research and communicate the entities who would be involved in something of this nature,” said Fansler.
He said he wants the marijuana committee to submit recommendations to the City Council within four months.
