On April 18, city officials were informed of a marijuana license application for a “Producer Tier 3 and Processor” at 13513 NE 126th Place in the Totem Lake Area.

As many know, the Kirkland City Council approved interim zoning regulations in March, allowing marijuana sales in certain light industrial zones and prohibited such use in Market Street zones and properties abutting Kirkland School Walk Routes.

The interim regulations, adopted under Ordinance 4439, are effective for six months, but may be effective for up to one year if a work plan is developed for additional study and a public hearing is held by the City Council.

Future application notifications will be posted to the city’s website and citizens encouraged to check it regularly.

The city of Kirkland does not approve the marijuana license application; that authority is with Washington State Liquor Control Board.

The city’s website has an informational webpage about marijuana licensing, which contains background information on the interim regulations, links to the Liquor Control Board, and a zoning map showing the locations in Kirkland where marijuana retailing, production, and/or processing could be located, if licensed by the board

A new feature to the webpage will include information about pending marijuana applications received by the board for locations within Kirkland city limits.

Once notified by the board, the city will have 20 days to provide any written objections to the application. The notice from the board will be reviewed by the Kirkland Police Department and the Planning and Community Development Department for zoning compliance.

The city will then respond with any concerns it has with respect to a particular application. All state-licensed retailers, producers, and processors within Kirkland city limits will be required to obtain a city business license in addition to obtaining a state business license.

City officials ask that Kirklanders understand that this is a new process and that they appreciate everyone’s patience.

“Because the issue of marijuana sales in Kirkland has community-wide interest, we are providing this notification as a courtesy,” city officials said in a news release.

For the city’s status of its review of any notice from the board, please contact the Business License Division at 425-587-3140.

Citizens can comment on applications submitted to the board by emailing licensingretail@liq.wa.gov or sending written correspondence to Washington State Liquor Control Board, Licensing and Regulation, P.O. Box 43098, Olympia, WA 98504-3098.

For more information, visit www.kirklandwa.gov/marijuanainkirkland.