With the deadline looming, the Washington State Liquor Control Board was hit with a holiday rush of its own. More than 1,000 new applications were received between the state’s last report, Dec. 17, and the Dec. 19 cutoff.

 

The final numbers show 3,746 applications to grow, process or sell cannabis under Washington’s recreational pot law passed by voters last year. Statewide these break down as 1,670 producer (grower) operations, 1,209 processor businesses, and 867 retail outlets.

 

Of these, 36 individuals and companies are applying to conduct pot-related businesses in the Edmonds/Lynnwood/Mountlake Terrace tri-city area.

 

The federal government announced earlier this year that it would not sue Washington over plans to permit, tax and regulate marijuana sales to adults over 21, provided they address a list of federal law enforcement priorities, including keeping pot off the black market and away from kids.

 

According to the Liquor Control Board, investigators have already started reviewing applicants. Applicants must undergo background checks, be residents of Washington state, and have their business areas inspected by the state. The state hopes to begin issuing licenses at the end of February. The State Liquor Control Board has gone on record as being particularly concerned with out-of-state diversion of product, traceability of products, responsible business practices, youth access and other public and consumer safety issues.

 

As previously reported on MLTnews, the state is accepting applications in three categories:

 

Producers would grow marijuana in bulk for wholesale distribution. Producers fall into three sub-categories or “tiers,” depending on the size of the proposed operation. Tier 1 (small producer) is for 2,000 square feet or less of planted area. Tier 2 (medium producer) is 2,001-10,000 square feet, and tier 3 (large producer) is 10,001 to 30,000 square feet. These could be indoor growing operations or outdoor farms.

 

Processors would package and/or refine this product into a form suitable for individual sale for wholesale distribution to retail stores. Note that many applicants for producer licenses are also applying for processor licenses, which would allow them to both grow and package/refine marijuana for sale to retailers.

 

Retailers would sell marijuana products directly to consumers. The state is limiting retail licenses to 334, including both those allocated to a particular location and “at large” licenses (see the allocation list here. The state has not set numerical limits for other types of licenses.

 

Proposed allocations in our area are for one retail outlet in Mountlake Terrace, and two each in Lynnwood and Edmonds. With final applicant numbers showing seven for Lynnwood, four for Edmonds, and one for Mountlake Terrace, a lottery for Lynnwood and Edmonds is all but certain.

 

Here are the final numbers for our area (* indicates new applicant since last reported in MLTnews):

Mountlake Terrace

 

Producer:
Buddha Consulting, tier 3
The Cascade Gnome, tier 3*

 

Processor:
Buddha Consulting
The Cascade Gnome*

 

Retailer (one license available for Mountlake Terrace):
420 Pot Stop*

 

Edmonds

 

Producer:
Torre Treece, tier 1
Natalie’s Remedy, tier 1*
T&T Buck, tier 1*
ALON, LLC, tier 3 (Three applications for three locations at 51 W. Dayton in Edmonds)*
(Sofeea Huffman, previously reported as tier 1, has dropped off)

 

Processor:
Torre Treece
ALON, LLC*
T&T Buds*
(Sofeea Huffman, previously reported here, has dropped off)

 

Retailer (Two licenses available for Edmonds):
Slanted Eyes
Christina McCormick
Cannaland*
Green Stop*

 

Lynnwood

 

Producer:
Hempalayas, tier 1
Alder Creek Green, tier 1
Kendril Marquis Harris, tier 2
Nana’s Secret, tier 2
Clarity Farms, tier 3*
Greenstone, tier 2*
(Auricag, Inc, previously reported as a tier 3 producer, has dropped off)

 

Processor:
Hempalayas
Greenstone*
Nana’s Secret
(Auricag, Inc, previously reported on this list, has dropped off)

 

Retailer (Two licenses available for Lynnwood):
420 Hash
C & C Shop
Seattle Best Pot, LLC
420 Pot Shop
Gregory A. Tompkins*
Mary Jane’s Jar*
White Rabbit Retail (Three applications for three separate locations)*

 

The complete statewide list is available in Excel format from the Liquor Control Board here.

 

The board is accepting public comment on any proposed application. Comments should include the trade name, license number and address of the business and may be sent to:

 

Washington State Liquor Control Board
Licensing and Regulation
P.O. Box 43098
Olympia, WA 98504-3098

 

— By Larry Vogel