The City of Kenai is continuing work on regulations for commercial marijuana establishments and addressed on-site consumption at the council work session last week.
Council members recommended that on-site consumption be allowed in multi-use buildings, not just standalone facilities, however concerns were raised about potential conflicts with other tenants.
Mayor Pat Porter says while she doesn’t support any activity with marijuana, one option might be a ban on a certain type of consumption.
Mayor Porter: “In my view I don’t think the smoking should be allowed period. Basically the reason I feel that was is because I have never seen any kind of a facility that allowed smoking that said they control the exhaling of that out of the building that really works. Or they say we have machines in here that take the smoke out, well you can still smell it.”
No recommendation was made on which types of consumption might be included in an ordinance about commercial marijuana establishments that will be introduced in January.
The council also has an ordinance creating a moratorium on cannabis clubs which will be up for public comment on January 6.
At the work session, Porter said the topic of on-site consumption was addressed because the moratorium is only for a year or less.
The council members did not finalize any regulations on commercial marijuana establishments Thursday, but directed Kelley and City Attorney Scott Bloom to create an ordinance reflecting their decisions.
