BEND, OR -- Deschutes County Commissioners will hold a public deliberation on proposed land use regulations for marijuana related businesses in unincorporated parts of the county. After a series of contentious public hearings, and a recommendation from the Planning Commission to approve marijuana businesses with some land use restrictions, County Commissioners are expected to say “yes” or “no,” Monday.
Commission Chair Tony DeBone tells KBND News, “The discussion, the formal deliberations about the opt-out opportunity that was put in place by the House Bill 3400, kind of talked about how do we have local control for decisions about production, processing wholesaling and retail.” That means Commissioners can ban marijuana related businesses altogether, or accept the Planning Commission’s recommendation that places light, odor and noise controls, setbacks and restricting such businesses to 20-acre minimum parcels on land zoned Exclusive Farm Use. “Do we just not allow any activities in the rural county. If we do, then we figure out what reasonable regulations, zoning, and time, place and manner regulations. How do we want to limit the opportunity if somebody to get a recreational license to grow in the rural county?” says DeBone.
The Board of County Commissioners will deliberate during their business meeting at 10 a.m.
