Sisters voters face pot dispensary referendum

“This is a big issue, a very big issue,” Sisters City Council President, McKibben Womack said Tuesday.

A big issue that’s coming to voters — should Sisters amend the city code to allow medical marijuana dispensaries?

“There’s people are passionate on both sides, so we felt like we should take it to the voters and let them have a say. And that gives us clear direction, the way we should go,” Womack said.

Like Redmond, Prineville, La Pine and Madras, Sisters adopted a one-year moratorium banning medical marijuana dispensaries this spring. But depending on which box you check come November, that could change.

If Ballot Measure 9-101 passes, Sisters would have a number of rules in place for dispensaries. For example, they would not be allowed on or within 100 feet of Cascade Avenue. They can operate only between the hours of 10 a.m. and 7 p.m.

The facility could not provide any marijuana-infused product manufactured or packaged to be attractive to minors.

Under the location rules, there would be only room for two dispensaries in town.

They have to be 1,000 feet away from each other, so you’re pretty limited on where you can go,” Womack said.

If the measure passes, the city code will be amended and dispensaries can start setting up shop.

If voters want to keep the moratorium, the Sisters City Council will have to work with the state to figure out what’s next.

“The state Legislature doesn’t know which way they want to go,” Womack said. “Some are saying, ‘Yes, let’s give cities the right to choose and deny, ‘ kind of like what they did in Colorado, while some are saying no.”

Womack asks that before Sisters residents vote, they do their homework on this measure, which could have a big impact.

“Think about where you want this community to go, because this makes a statement as to where we want to go,” he said.

Oregonians have until Oct. 14 to register to vote. Ballots will be mailed out on Oct. 15 and must be received by 8 p.m. on Election Day (Tuesday, Nov. 4) to be counted — postmarks do not count.