Redmond Votes in Favor of Marijuana Dispensaries

An advisory measure that would recommend retail marijuana sales within the City of Redmond passed with about 53% of the votes on Election Day coming out in support of allowing marijuana dispensaries within city limits – something currently prohibited within Redmond’s City Code.

Measure 9-177 was a non-binding recommendation to the Council, meant to gauge voters’ interest in amending city code. The measure will give the Redmond City Council the ability to allow for and regulate marijuana dispensaries and other types of marijuana businesses within the City.

While the sale of marijuana is not currently legal in Redmond, the City passed an ordinance in 2015 allowing marijuana cultivation for personal use on residential lots.

Although the ballot measure passed, the allowance of marijuana dispensaries will still require action by the City Council to enact code changes and regulate the sale of retail marijuana. Code amendments would also make the City eligible to receive distributions of state and local marijuana tax revenues from retailers and marijuana-related businesses.

Voters also passed a conditional measure, allowing the City to impose a 3% tax on the sale of marijuana items by retailers within City limits, given that the advisory measure passed. According to a staff report, revenues will likely exceed $100,000 annually and would accrue to the City General Fund if the measures are approved.

“I think Redmond showed that it’s open-minded,” Redmond Mayor Ed Fitch told the Source Weekly, sharing his thoughts on the results of the vote. “I had a feeling it was going to be somewhat close… I was a little surprised it won by that much.”

Mayor Fitch, who was reelected to his position on Nov. 5, expressed support for the marijuana initiative in October, but wanted to see if residents would support it. If they did, he said, he wanted to look into enacting regulations regarding its locations around the City.

“I do think that if we have a small imprint of dispensaries in Redmond, I think that will provide the right balance between those who are for it and those who are against it,” he told the Source Weekly.

Fitch believes many on the Council agree and don’t want to see dispensaries in popular areas like Downtown Redmond or Highland Avenue. “I think we’ll probably be headed in that direction,” he said.

Councilor Shannon Wedding told the Source Weekly in October that she opposed allowing marijuana dispensaries in the City, but ultimately felt it was up to residents.

“My job as a city councilor is not to bring my personal opinion to Council. So, that is the reason I supported the advisory ballot measure,” said Wedding. “We really want to hear what the community wants and make an educated decision moving forward.”

According to Fitch, code changes allowing marijuana dispensaries in Redmond will likely come before Council sometime in January or February.

Other Redmond measures that passed in the latest election included extending a two-year moratorium on psilocybin service centers, prohibiting the establishment of psilocybin service center operators within the area for an additional two years, expiring Dec. 31, 2026.

Voters also passed a Redmond School Bond, aimed at funding “critical” repairs, and a five-year local option tax for Redmond Park and Recreation Operations.

This article appears in Source Weekly November 14, 2024.