REDMOND, OR -- Industrial hemp farmers in Redmond will soon have amended time, place, and manner regulations for their crops. Since the 2018 Farm Bill classified hemp as a crop, the Redmond City Council set forward their amendments that will allow for the processing of industrial hemp.

John Roberts, Deputy City Manager, says Councilors voted 6 to 1 to accept the amendments to the City Code at their meeting Tuesday. But, they won't go into effect immediately. "If the regulations were approved unanimously, the regulations would've gone into affect September 12th. However, because there was a dissenting vote, the ordinance needs to return to them next month, thus, effectively putting the regulations into play around October 12th." That second reading will take place on September 10th.

The 6 amendments to the ordinance clarify the area of the city where processing can take place, building specifications, odor and outdoor storage regulations, retail sales, and compliance to state and federal laws regarding hemp. The Redmond City Council voted 6 to 1 at their Tuesday meeting to approve amendments to their current time, place, and manner regulations regarding hemp. "The first one is to allow for the processing only in the M-2 Heavy Industrial Zone, second is processing be conducted in a permanent and enclosed structure that requires a building permit, third: odor is not detectable from the property line, fourth: no outdoor storage allowed, fifth: on allowing limited retail sales, and then the sixth is that the business stay compliant with existing and changing State and Federal laws."

Roberts says he doesn't think anything will change for the Councilors with a second reading. "It goes back to them September 10th, they reread the ordinance for adoption, and they take another vote. I'm making the assumption the vote will be the same."

The soonest the ordinance changes could go into effect will be October 12th.