Kirkland City Council’s decision on marijuana buffer should have had public comment | Letter

I am a little concerned about the Kirkland City Council's decision to unilaterally, by one vote, pass a 100-foot buffer from daycares for marijuana stores when the ordinance on file was for 600 feet. So all it took was four council members to make a decision for 80,000 plus residents. And to disregard a thoughtout distance of 600 feet from a Planning Commission and Houghton Community Council (HCC) of at least 12 people?

September 9, 2016 12:53 pm
Letters to the editor can be submitted to editor@kirklandreporter.com.
Letters to the editor can be submitted to editor@kirklandreporter.com.

I am a little concerned about the Kirkland City Council’s decision to unilaterally, by one vote, pass a 100-foot buffer from daycares for marijuana stores when the ordinance on file was for 600 feet. So all it took was four council members to make a decision for 80,000 plus residents. And to disregard a thoughtout distance of 600 feet from a Planning Commission and Houghton Community Council (HCC) of at least 12 people?

If residents knew the City Council would disregard the recommended ordinance draft from the planning commission distance of 600 feet from daycares, and change the distance to 100 feet, I think more people would have come to the meeting.

Per the meeting packet only 600 feet was mentioned on the ordinance not 100 feet.

The city of Seattle has a 500-foot buffer from daycares. I am very disappointed that four members on the City Council would make it 100 feet. Our community is full of families that want to have a safe environment to raise out children, and know that childcare centers are not too close to a marijuana shop.

Additionally the HCC was not on board with lowering the 1,000-foot buffer in their “community.” They are not affected by this bad decision as they refused the 600-foot buffer, so why do we stand as a divided community and think that the city council can make a 100 foot change in all areas but Houghton? If 600 feet was not a good option for Houghton it should also not be a good position for the whole city. And 100 feet is a bad option, which the HCC does not have to follow.

I think the City Council should not have had the right to lower the buffer to 100 feet without properly informing all of the citizens. The vote was close 4-3, and I don’t think the law was followed by switching from 600 feet to 100 feet via Toby Nixon.

The original law people voted on was a 1,000-foot buffer from daycares. Reducing it 90 percent to 100 feet should be considered very carefully. I believe many people would not have voted Yes to I-502 if the buffers could be lowered to 100 feet.

I believe another meeting should take place before the 100 feet becomes an ordinance/law so citizen’s can express their concerns. I also believe letters need to be sent to all affected parcels and daycares that would be on the edge of 100 feet from new eligible parcels for marijuana retail stores. The owners and the customers (families using the daycares) need to have the time to express their concerns to the City Council before this 100-foot buffer is passed.

Susan Davis, Kirkland