A contentious proposal to move a Port Townsend-based cannabis production plant to the Coyle Peninsula is being considered after a hearing examiner meeting last week to review the project’s land-use application.

To move their cannabis business to 9790 Coyle Road from Eisenbeis Avenue in Port Townsend, brother and sister owners Luke and Jessie Williamson must prove their business meets the “cottage-industry” criteria to be operated in a residential zone.

Members of the public spoke for and against the proposal at a Jefferson County hearing examiner meeting reviewing the request Feb. 25 presided over by Jefferson County hearing examiner Stephen Causseaux. He will make the final decision on whether the application will be approved.

A hearing examiner rules on quasi-judicial decisions related to land-use, code compliance and conditional use permits ,among other things.

The proposed facility in Coyle would include the construction of two steel 5,000 square-foot buildings for producing and processing cannabis on a 5.48-acre property.

To meet the cottage industry standard to operate the business, the owners must live on the property and prove their plan meets the criteria of a “harmonious and appropriate in design, character and appearance” consistent with the surrounding area.

Jefferson County Department of Community Development staff recommend approving the application with conditions, according to county documents, while opponents say the project will lower property values, increase crime and disrupt the rural character.

Gary Williams of Quilcene is a neighbor of the project and opposed the proposal in a March 2019 letter to the DCDl.

He states he believes the proposal and the nature of the business are illegal under county code and federal law and should not be approved.

DCD staff wrote in their report that the proposed buildings are similar in design to other agricultural buildings used to house livestock or machinery in the area, constituting a “harmonious and appropriate use,” and that adherence with federal law is not a condition for approval.

In addressing some commonly heard concerns about the project, DCD staff included in their report studies that have shown no correlation between cannabis production and decreased property values or increased crime.

In an email to DCD, Jefferson County Sheriff Joe Nole said he is not aware of any increases in crime in the county near cannabis operations.

Staff also stated they do not believe the business and its operation will unnecessarily impact the neighbors with sight, sound or smell because the processing will be contained within the buildings and screened from view.

Similar applications have been previously approved in Coyle and Discovery Bay. The other Coyle project featured larger buildings and less screening from the road while the Discovery Bay project had similar steel buildings, which mitigate impacts due to light, sound and odor.

However, an application for cottage industry cannabis production on Marrowstone Island was denied last year due to there not being a “full-time bona fide resident” living on the property, a condition of the cottage industry conditional use.

Alex Silas, the attorney for the opposition said this same condition has not yet been met by the Coyle project because there is not currently a full-time resident, although the owners intend to live on the property in a single-family residence that is under construction.

Civil Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Austin Watkins said the hearing record for the application will remain open until March 10, giving attorneys on both sides time to respond to concerns brought up at the Feb. 25 hearing.

He said it usually takes two weeks for the hearing examiner to reach a decision, but because of the nature of the application and the contention surrounding it, it might take longer.

He said hopefully by the end of the month Causseaux will issue a written decision.