Deschutes commissioners halt new marijuana businesses

(Update: adding comments from commissioners, dispensary owner and voters, KTVZ.COM Poll)

Deschutes County commissioners unanimously decided Wednesday to put future marijuana production and processing land-use applications on hold. They verbally confirmed an ” opt out, ” meaning new businesses won’t be approved in the county, though previously allowed operations are not affected.

Last October, the commissioners amended the original marijuana grow regulations, which had been in place for five years. Some of the changes included prohibiting marijuana production in a ” multiple use agricultural ” zone and tightening up inspection, odor and noise requirements.

The current regulations also identify marijuana as a farm crop, rather than an industrial product – and the Oregon Farm Bureau, among others, has objected to the county’s tighter rules for marijuana production and processing, saying they violate Oregon’s ” right to farm ” law.

County Commissioner Phil Henderson said Oregon is the only state in the nation that follows this classification. However, as a farm crop, marijuana faces heavier restrictions and requirements than any other.

Commissioner Tony DeBone said many people have claimed those regulations are unfair and unreasonable.

On the other hand, many residents in rural areas of the county support the tighter restrictions, saying they do not want any more marijuana production facilities to be introduced into the area due to a variety of impacts on their quality of life.

” People are saying, ‘ This is my backyard, I don’t want to see this, I don’t want this around, it brings different people in our rural residential neighborhoods, ” DeBone said. ” There’s not common ground, there’s just not a lot of common ground in there. That’s what we’ve been struggling with. No matter what we do – regulations, state law – there are legislators upset at us. We’ve been basically upsetting everybody and pleasing no one. So that’s why we ended up in this situation. ”

Mike Hayes, owner of the Miracle Greens dispensary in Bend, said the county’s regulations are ridiculous, and he’s upset at the commissioners’ decision to opt out.

” I think what they have done is create a roadblock for the good tenants who are trying to get into Deschutes County. They have said to all the bad tenants, ‘Don’t worry, you can stick around because there’s still going to be demand for your product, even though you’re not a good tenant.’ ”

With the opt-out decision, county voters will be asked to decide whether they want to allow additional marijuana operations. The vote is planned for the November 2020 general election ballot.

NewsChannel 21 asked voters which way they are leaning now.

” I need people to be aware that we don’t need any more in Deschutes County, ” said Tammy Threlkeld , who lives on Alfalfa Market Road. ” We have a lot of them. There are residents that have been threatened by some of these people. They are fearful, they have actually sold their homes and moved. ”

Joshua Huddleston , who lives near La Pine, said, ” “I’m on the side that we should allow more cannabis grows, or cannabis grows, period. It brings in revenue, it’s good for the economy, and honestly there’s nothing wrong with cannabis. ”

The commissioners expect to formally approve the “opt out” on August 19.

The decision does not affect any existing marijuana production or processing facilities that have already been approved by the county. Industrial hemp and medicinal marijuana farms will also not be affected by the decision.