Marijuana

County commissioners are planning a workshop to discuss planning codes for raising, processing and dispensing marijuana in the county.

County Planner Alan Thomson Monday suggested the commissioners plan a workshop with county Prosecutor Denis Tracy to discuss any legal questions commissioners may have about businesses getting permits to raise, process and dispense marijuana. A tentative workshop is set for mid-October.

State regulations allow people to apply for permits starting in November, but actual permits will not be issued until early in 2014, Thomson said.

“The way the code sits now, someone could start a procedure for a permit of a processing plant,” Thomson said.

“Under the agricultural district definition, a commercial business where agricultural products are processed with minimal operation is allowed,” Thomson told commissioners.

He told commissioners that under county code, as long as there is no alteration of a product, processing, packaging and shipping is allowed.

“It could be argued that this is an agricultural product that could be processed,” Thomson said.

“It’s a possible argument that under our code, we would have to process this,” he said.

Thomson also said that light and heavy industrial districts in the county allows for alteration of products.

The commissioners discussed having a six-month moratorium for any processing plants and asked Thomson to arrange a workshop with him and Tracy.