BEND, OR -- Deschutes County Commissioners continue to propose changes to marijuana regulations, after a year of working with the current time, place and manner restrictions. Commissioner Phil Henderson says the county needs reasonable regulations, especially on odor and noise. He would like operators to be required to prove they have a viable odor control system in place; currently, he says, they only have to say they’ll make sure smells are controlled. "We also are looking at issues of the density of marijuana. I think Oregon is the most liberal state in terms of where it allows marijuana and we have thousands – tens of thousands – of lots in rural Deschutes County that could have marijuana. I think it’s a real livability issue for people who are already there. We have quite a few grows already approved; we’ve approved over 30 in the county."

How the county handles legalized recreational marijuana has been an issue for Henderson since he ran for election in 2016, "We’ve had a lot of pushback from rural residents, which I was aware of when I ran, and was one of the reasons I thought was should have had a vote. Most of the people, almost overwhelmingly, that appear and come to our hearings on marijuana, are against having it in their neighborhoods."

Commissioners proposed amendments to land use rules governing pot operations, Monday. A public hearing on those changes is planned for August 22. 

Hear our full conversation with Deschutes County Commissioner Phil Henderson at our Podcast Page.