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AN ORDINANCE renewing for six-months an existing moratorium on the establishment or location of medical marijuana dispensaries and collective gardens asserted to be or actually authorized under Chapter 181, Laws of Washington 2011, and chapter 69.51A RCW.
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BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF KING COUNTY:
SECTION 1. Findings:
A. King County has authority to establish and renew a moratorium under the Growth Management Act in RCW 36.70A.390, to preclude approval of a particular land use and to facilitate its interest in studying the impacts of that land use.
B. Washington state Initiative Measure No. 692, approved November 3, 1998, created an affirmative defense to the charge of possession of marijuana for qualifying patients.
C. The 2011 state Legislature passed Engrossed Second Substitute Senate Bill 5073 and Governor Christine Gregoire signed the bill while vetoing several of its sections, including those authorizing the operation of medical marijuana dispensaries. This became Chapter 181, Laws of Washington 2011 ("the act").
D. The act took effect July 22, 2011.
E. The act provides for and places limits on "collective gardens," within which qualifying patients may produce, grow and deliver marijuana for medical use under certain conditions, and authorizes qualifying patients to designate a "designated provider," who may provide marijuana to one patient within any fifteen-day period.
F. A growing number of medical marijuana collective gardens and dispensaries asserted to be or actually authorized by the act are currently in operation in unincorporated King County. Due to the quasi-criminal nature of these facilities, data collection is very difficult and the location and number of these facilities is not clear.
G. Over the past several years, specific concerns have been raised within the community related to the operation of medical marijuana collective gardens and dispensaries in unincorporated King County.
H. The accepta...
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