Benton County Extends Pot Farm Ban in Parts of County

At their Tuesday meeting, Benton County Commissioners extended a moratorium on pot growing and related operations.

The six-month ban applies to certain areas of the county, including five acres of what are called rural lands. It covers Finley, and land next to I-82 and alongside some city boundaries.  The ban was originally enacted by protests from citizens living near the future home of the new Desert Hills Middle School.

A proposed pot growing operation has been trying to set up shop on South Clodfelter Road in Kennewick.  The company, LLV Green, wants to build a pot farm there. The company doesn't have a license yet, but it located far enough away from the site of the future school that it would not violate state regulations to grow marijuana there.

Apparently Benton County didn't have issues with pot-growing, producing or other aspects of the marijuana industry until the group of citizens in the area came together to fight the pot farm idea.   Existing producers and other established marijuana entities can still operate, but this moratorium keeps new ones from opening.

While the ban is for six months, county officials plan to meet again to discuss it within a few more weeks.

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