A resolution supporting on-site consumption of marijuana at licensed establishments was voted down by the Fairbanks Borough Assembly at a meeting Thursday night. A majority of assembly members thought the resolution was going too far, too fast.
The resolution sponsored by Andrew Gray would have supported proposed state regulations that are out for public comment. Gray said he recognizes the resolution might be moot with the upcoming Fairbanks city and borough measures that would kill the local cannabis industry. Gray would support postponing the measure until after the October third election. But most of the assembly thought it important to address it now. Though assembly member Guy Sattely said the resolution will bring people out for the vote.
“I’m quite sure that it will result in several hundred people, maybe more, voting on this subject at the election who may have not voted if they hadn’t been alerted to it by this discussion,” Sattely said.
Other assembly members, like Matt Cooper felt the resolution and proposed state regulations needed more work. But assembly member Kathryn Dodge spoke for other when she said it was going too far too fast.
“My sense is they are still kind of getting use to seeing marijuana retail stores on the corners. They’re still getting used to us having cultivation facilities. They’re still kinda getting used to what our zoning is.”
In the vote, assembly members Gray, Lawrence and Tacke supported the measure, saying pot should be afforded the same status as alcohol. Joining assembly members Sattley and Dodge in voting against the resolution were Cooper and Roberts.
