Pendleton city council approves temporary moratorium on marijuana businesses

PENDLETON – The Pendleton City Council has enacted a 120-day moratorium on new marijuana businesses to determine if the city should permanently cap the number of retailers allowed to operate.

The council voted 7-1 Tuesday night to approve the temporary ban, with Ward 1 Councilor John Thomas casting the lone dissenting vote. The moratorium is scheduled to expire in mid-August.

City Manager Robb Corbett suggested the temporary measure during a workshop last week when council members expressed concern that discussion of a future limit would trigger a rush of new applications.

The discussion began earlier this month when Erin Purchase, of the Pendleton-based dispensary Kind Leaf, told the council that market saturation is hurting local stores.

“Creating more stores in our community does not create more customers,” Purchase said. She noted that since Ontario allowed marijuana sales in 2019 Pendleton does not get as much business from Idaho.

The moratorium does not apply to two retailers that have already submitted applications. Those businesses will be permitted to continue their opening process.

One of those applicants, Brandon Krenzler, plans to open an Oregon’s Finest location on Highway 11. He questioned the fairness of the council’s intervention.

“Are we prepared to apply that same standard to every adult-oriented business in the city?” Krenzler asked, specifically citing businesses that serve alcohol. “Those businesses compete with each other every single day; when one new one opens, no one comes to the (council) requesting a moratorium.”

If the council takes no further action before the 120-day window closes, the moratorium will lift and the city will resume accepting new applications.

Mayor McKennon McDonald listens as Erin Purchase speaks at Tuesday night’s city council meeting

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Elkhorn Media Group