La Plata County commissioners discussed Wednesday whether the county should license and regulate recreational marijuana growing and retail operations. Otherwise, the county could leave licensing and regulation to the state.
Commissioner Bobby Lieb raised questions about whether county licensing is worthwhile considering the state’s role and burdens on county staff time.
“I have no desire to rush the retail regulations,” Lieb said.
But Commissioner Julie Westendorff and county staff members said local licensing and regulation would give county government much greater authority to oversee marijuana operations.
“Without the licensing we don’t have effective local control of the operation, and it puts us in the position of relying on the state for enforcement,” Westendorff said.
She pointed to the hypothetical situation of a retail marijuana store selling to underage customers. The Sheriff’s Office could ticket the violator, but without county licensing, the county could not shut down the shop.
The county would have to wait for state regulators to shut it down.
Joe Kerby, county manager, warned that initial state enforcement could be lacking.
“I don’t have a lot of confidence as to the state being able to enforce things at the very beginning,” he said.
Kerby said the county likely could do a better job of licensing when marijuana retail stores open.
County licensing also would allow the Board of County Commissioners to make a “judgment of moral character” of applicants to operate grow operations and retail stores, much as the county now does for liquor licenses.
Commissioners said they’re likely to finalize the regulations for grow operations first, followed by retail rules. The county’s medical marijuana growers have pushed to become licensed growers for recreational users, as well.
The county is at the beginning of a months-long process for adopting marijuana regulations.
County staff members are expected to draft regulations and land-use amendments for growing operations in October and November for the Board of County Commissioners’ consideration. The public will be invited to a “Here to Hear” session in early October for informal discussions of the marijuana regulations.
The board then is slated to hold a work session in late November or early December to consider changes based on public input.
The full set of regulations is expected to be ready for a board vote by July.
cslothower@durangoherald.com
