King County, WA Lifts Ban on Cannabis Businesses
The King County Council has voted 5 to 3 to lift their ban on legal cannabis businesses.
Under the new law, cannabis businesses that are licensed with the state will be authorized to operate within unincorporated King County. There are some restrictions, however, such as cannabis grow operations being required to be on parcels of 10 acres or more, and a requirement that retail outlets can’t be within 1,000 feet of another outlet.
This is the first time since the passage of Initiative 502 in 2012 that King County has voted to explicitly allow legal cannabis businesses to operate within unincorporated portions of the county (in other portions, it’s up to the individual city). Prior to the moratorium in April, cannabis farms were allowed but only in “rural area” zones.
With a population of roughly two million, King County is the most populous county in Washington State and the 13th most populous county in the country.
