Marijuana micro grows and cultivation facilities designed to allow individuals to grow or manufacture marijuana products in areas such as a spare room are included in a draft ordinance addressing commercial marijuana zoning regulations in the Haines Borough.
Haines Borough Planning Commission Chair Rob Goldberg suggested during last week’s commission meeting to allow up to 150 square feet for a micro operation to operate anywhere in the borough. He said it removes a barrier to entry for individuals wanting to conduct a cottage industry.
“It puts the ability to turn this into a money making venture into the hands of regular people,” Goldberg said. “If you’re saying it can only be 1,500 square feet that really limits the zones it can be in. But if you allow it on a smaller scale it allows someone to do it as a home occupation or cottage industry as a side business and do it in their home instead of having a big facility.
State regulations allow for 10,000 square feet for a commercial cultivation facility and up to 1,500 square feet for a limited cultivation facility.
Haines Borough Manager Debra Schnabel said the costs associated with state licensing and tax requirements on marijuana products will likely inhibit smaller operations.
“I don’t think anybody’s going to be making anything in their garage or backroom or closet,” Schnabel said. “All these things are regulated for odor and for filters and it has to be a commercially licensed facility. That’ why the state has the regulations that they have.”
A limited cultivation facility license costs $1,000 and the application fee is another $1,000.
Odor mitigation, testing processes and security requirements must be met when applying for a license with the state’s marijuana control board.
Goldberg said the costs associated with his instrument building business cost much more than several thousand dollars.
“I have many, many times more than that invested in my tools and materials,” Goldberg said. “It costs a lot to get into any kind of business. If you’re looking at producing $10,000 or $20,000 worth of product from your back bedroom then I can see people going for that.”
Commission member Brenda Josephson said the ordinance should keep zoning options open for micro operations and let individuals decide if the barriers to entry are too high.
The planning commission will continue to refine the draft ordinance at its next meeting before making an advisory vote to the Haines Borough Assembly. The assembly will then hold a public hearing before final approval.