Slog
News & ArtsFriday, January 25, 2013
POT Under I-502, Pot Stores Banned Almost Everywhere in Seattle
Posted by Dominic Holden on Fri, Jan 25, 2013 at 3:46 PM
I just got a new map from the city's Department of Planning and Development showing that even though marijuana retail stores are supposed to be legal in Seattle by year's end, there are few locations where you could realistically open one—almost all of them impractical.
Initiative 502 legalized marijuana possession and tasked the state with issuing licenses to growers, processors, and sellers. And as written, I-502 bans marijuana retail storefronts within 1,000 feet of the perimeter of certain properties, including parks, schools, arcades, libraries, community centers, and even public transit centers. The city has proposed its own restrictions on where marijuana outlets can open their doors (such as banning them on blocks zoned strictly for single-family houses). What happens when you overlay the state's and city's restrictions? There's almost no place in Seattle where you could actually set up a pot store:
The yellow areas show where retail outlets are "potentially allowed." Even these are largely industrial lands and locations where there's no actual storefronts to rent (e.g, the shipyards of Harbor Island, the landing strip at Boeing Field, and one block along a residential arterial in Ballard called Seaview Avenue Northwest). The rest of the map is out of bounds. (Here is a larger .pdf of the map.)
This is zoning at its most backwards. The locations where most people would actually want to buy marijuana are the same places where marijuana stores will be prohibited. Seattle is the most dense, populous city in the state and, thusly, where we'll see the greatest demand for pot. But because we have parks and libraries and transit tunnels all over the place, almost the entire city is off limits. Zooming in closer, as this map illustrates, the most populous, dense neighborhoods in the city—like Belltown and Capitol Hill—have zero yellow zones to buy cannabis. Considering that the goal of I-502 was to undercut the black market with accessible legal pot, it's unfortunate that black market pot dealers could remain preferable to largely inaccessible legal stores.
So why was the initiative written this way?
"The federal government has made it clear that locating marijuana storefronts within 1,000 feet of locations frequented by minors is a major concern," says Alison Holcomb, who wrote the ballot measure and led the I-502 campaign called New Approach Washington. (And she's absolutely correct here—the feds have cracked down on medical pot dispensaries in these areas. It was primarily important to pass I-502, break through the wall of prohibition, and work out the details later.) "In drafting Initiative 502, a primary goal was minimizing friction with federal marijuana enforcement policy to maximize the possibility of actual implementation," she says. "A whole range of issues undoubtedly will need to be revisited down the road, but getting stores open is a bigger priority than making them convenient."
But the Washington State Liquor Control Board, which is fleshing out rules for licenses, can't tweak these zoning rules because they were affixed by statute. "It would take a two-thirds vote of the legislature to change that map," says liquor board member Chris Marr. He says the a priority of I-502 is safety, not convenience. A final map will be considered by the board, he says, and while it may "shrink down" the number of locations cannabis stores could be allowed in Seattle, the board "can't expand it."
Given that a two-thirds vote of the legislature typically requires an act of god (especially to loosen a pot initiative), this map is what we have to work with.
Kimberly Mills from the Seattle City Attorney's Office also points out that this map "can really only be used for general information purposes only. Each site will have to be independently investigated by the appropriate professionals." (We've seen similar maps before, but not from the city land-use planners.)
So what will happen if the licensing proceeds as planned by December? There are a few pockets where the stores can open, and I am confident some determined entrepreneurs will snatch them up (such as 23rd and Union in the Central District and a slice of Aurora Avenue). To the extent that these stores can find a location that (a) is legal and (b) has a viable retail rental front, they will undoubtedly cluster in high densities along arterials in largely residential neighborhoods, essentially creating a few small marijuana districts. That is, areas stuffed with highly desirable product, people walking in and out with bags of pot, and—because banks won't hold marijuana business money due to federal insurance rules—hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash sitting behind the counter.
Which would make for some pretty obvious crime targets. That could show the claims that these zoning rules promote safety are, well, unconvincing. Moreover, I can't imagine any neighborhood group would welcome a dozen pot stores down the block, either, and could push the stores farther into the city's nether-regions or outside the city completely. As Jane Jacobs's authoritative book on contemporary urban planning, The Death and Life of Great American Cities, reminds us, few variables make a place safer than eyes on the street. Just like bars, marijuana stores would be safer in busy commercial areas—the customers, providers, the cops—than as sitting ducks in a no-man's land.
If the goal of I-502 is to provide a workable model for marijuana sales, this isn't it. Staying clear of the feds is smart, at least initially, and the drafters had to do what they had to do in order to pass the initiative. But now I-502 is passed and the feds are focused on the less superficial aspects of the initiative. I'm pretty certain that the feds don't care about keeping the stores away from transit centers; they care about keeping it away from schools, probably, and stopping pot trafficking out of state lines. So these zoning problems like this need to be fixed and city officials will need to take the lead. I've asked the mayor's office for their take on the map (and how the city could adjust its limits), but haven't yet heard back.
Excellent article. Very interesting to read. I really love to read such a nice article. Thanks! keep rocking.
credit repair credit cards
ключар София
I would like to say that this blog really convinced me to do it! Thanks, very good post.
http://บาคาâ…"> บาคาร่า.tv
http://hghprice.com
serrurier nice
serrurier toulon
It’s appropriate time to make some plans for the future and it is time to be happy. I have read this post and if I could I wish to suggest you few interesting things or advice. Perhaps you could write next articles referring to this article. I desire to read even more things about it!
Ace Driving School
kids wallpaper borders
http://th.188betfun.net
Ecig Starter Kit
Travel tours Armenia Georgia
I am hoping the same best effort from you in the future as well. In fact your creative writing skills has inspired me.
Welcome to Abhay Singh
http://veinxem.net
sonic games online
Great job for publishing such a beneficial web site. Your web log isn’t only useful but it is additionally really creative too. There tend to be not many people who can certainly write not so simple posts that artistically. Continue the nice writing
RSA Driving School
Nice to be visiting your blog once more, it continues to be months for me. Nicely this post that i’ve been waited for so lengthy.
T-Lad Web Tips And Tricks
Bowflex Uppercut
bahamas all inclusive resorts
Property Brochure Design
Property Brochure Design
Sculpting Exercise Bar
Sculpting Exercise Bar
Thank you again for all the knowledge you distribute,Good post. I was very interested in the article, it's quite inspiring I should admit. I like visiting you site since I always come across interesting articles like this one.Great Job, I greatly appreciate that.Do Keep sharing! Regards,
Good Relationship With Accrue 2012
Amazon.com: R9 Full Strength Raspberry K…
I was reading this
video production house
This is just the information I am finding everywhere. Thanks for your blog, I just subscribe your blog. This is a nice blog..
garcinia diet
Facebook Application Development
Facebook Applications Development
Android Application Development Company
iPhone App Developers
64
Why would teens have different standards for pot than they do alcohol?
59
That was the thinking when this initiative was written, and it wasn't unreasonable. However, the huge margin by which I-502 ultimately passed suggests this reasoning was overly pessimistic. It certainly would have passed without the zero tolerance clause for teen drivers - i.e., automatic DUI for trace levels of active THC.
54
Also: What is this business of 'individual collective gardens'?
53
52
http://dailycurrant.com/2012/12/14/iran-…
I'd love to see a pot store as the anchor for a little dining-and-night-life district at 23rd and Union, or MLK, either one; but unless we can really change perceptions of pot, I don't see "proximity to pot store" as something that's going to encourage development on those vacant lots.
The one benefit that I've argued comes from putting liquor in grocery stores has been integrating folks buying liquor with people going about their other daily business. Making buying liquor a normal thing, rather than a vaguely shady thing, puts subtle societal pressure on people buying liquor to act like normal people. If we ghettoize pot, then we keep the perception of buying pot as shady, and it will continue to attract people who like acting shady and repel those who don't; and concentrations of shady people snowball into shady behavior. Which will scare off both the developers and the normal, non-shady folks who currently patronize Med Mix, for example.
45
44
Seriously, though, this is much ado about nothing. Yes, some neighborhoods will be inconvenienced. Boo Hoo. This won't be Amsterdam. There won't be "coffee shops". Any weed that is bought will be smoked elsewhere. Which means, basically, people will buy weed once a month, more or less. It will be about as convenient as buying liquor was a couple years ago (not very). You might buy in smaller quantities if you live close to a shop, but otherwise, you will probably buy an ounce (or a shade less than an ounce) at a time. It won't be the end of the world. We all live with such inconveniences. If you live in Fremont right now you can walk to five Thai restaurants, but can't get a prescription filled or get hardware without a major schlep. Again, boo hoo.
In a couple years they will probably amend the law so that we will have more convenience and more competition (which is a good thing). Until then, I'm sure we can tough it out.
39
if you had written the law in any other way, it would never have passed. People are still scared of drugs. The voters who approved 502 did so because heavy handed tactics such as incarceration don't stop drug abuse and only result in destroying the lives of people who would otherwise fit neatly into society. This does not mean that most of them love drug culture, though. They don't.
In fact, 502 was partly written in a way that undermines the more noxious aspects of drug culture. Sketchy street corner dealers who talk like idiots and don't bathe were to be replaced by clean, safe stores. Still, people realize that while the store clerk will be clean-scrubbed and well dressed and polite, some of the customers will still talk like idiots and refuse to bathe. And it's those guys everyone doesn't like. I-502 had to pass as it was written-it had to be safe enough (read: keep the meth heads the fuck away from my kids) to appeal to enough voters to win.
Once pot becomes mainstream, the crusty tweeker people generally associate with pot now will be replaced by the respectable soccer mom who likes to munch on a brownie after dropping off the kids at school in her minivan. Then you will see the laws regarding where pot stores can be placed relaxed.
Sauce for the goose, sauce for the gander.
34
29
Remember when it wasn't even legal to buy in THOSE areas? YOU KNOW, LIKE A FEW MONTHS AGO?
Fucking chill; we're pioneering this shit.
27
26
24
But the state or county or city could open a kiosk in a state, county, or city park.
Probably not with window service.
23
22
21
See where I'm going with this?
Conversely, under both proposals shops would be found (re: concentrated) almost exclusively in low-income areas/neighborhoods. And I'm guess the people living there are less likely to reap the benefits of the policy, and more likely to suffer the consequences of the increase in crime. 21st and Union will be back to the way it used to be!
19
18
Delivery is a great idea, though I suppose insurance could be a problem, with the fear that drivers would use the product while on delivery, contrary to state law. I guess that means I'm in favor of pot-bearing drones, particularly if they are programmed to also bring beer.
17
Sorry, that's how it works.
16
That said, a lot of city zoning is due to schools. Most parents don't want MJ stores that close to school. You'll get major push back on that one, even if it's a high school because MJ IS ILLEGAL FOR KIDS (and on state college and university campus grounds).
Why do you think certain bars are located where they are? Distance from schools or colleges. Later on we relaxed it, but when alcohol became legal there weren't bars near schools, they had to be 1 or 2 miles (not feet, MILES) away.
Exception: Medical MJ has different zoning. Cause making sick people hike a few miles is mean. Especially since we don't let them drive stoned.
15
14
The hardest part was getting to this point where we have general agreement in the state that it should be legal. Sorting out the details will not be that big of a deal.
9
This opens up two possibilities:
1. You could open up in the center of a very, very large school.
2. Like @7 said, delivery. I propose pot delivery drones.
7
6
Ballard, Fremont, Georgetown, SLU for the 4/20 win!
Sucks to be you, Capitol Hill.
4
1
Advertisement
Most Commented on Slog
-
Foie Gras Tastes Like Cat Food by Callan Berry
-
SL Letter of the Day: The Tell-Tale Handjob by Dan Savage
-
Cap Hill Is Becoming a Little Like What? by Charles Mudede
-
Pizza Update: Breaking the 5-Minute Barrier by Goldy
-
President Obama Says NSA Spying Is "Transparent" by Paul Constant
-
Today in the Surveillance State: The "War on Reality" by Brendan Kiley
-
Slog Bible Study: Leviticus 20:9 by Goldy
-
The Full Text of David Guterson's Controversial Commencement Speech by Dominic Holden
-
The Monday Morning News by Goldy
-
In Which Peter Steinbrueck Peforms in Blackvoice by Goldy
Stranger Personals
The Stranger
RSSSeattle Art & Performance Quarterly
A complete guide to Seattle's current art, film, dance, and theater season.
Facebook
Twitter
Comments (121) RSS