Few things have gotten Vashon talking lately like the potential purchase of the K2 building by a marijuana company. Indeed, the transformation of the largest commercial property on Vashon into a facility for growing marijuana and producing pot-infused candy and other edibles would be a huge development on the island. On one hand, this legal marijuana company would make use of a large commercial building that has sat vacant for years. It could provide local jobs and could pump money into our local economy. And after all, Vashon Islanders voted overwhelmingly to legalize recreational marijuana use in 2012. It’s inevitable that some legal marijuana will be grown and processed in King County and on Vashon. On the other hand, putting a large marijuana factory on the main street of a small, rural island is not the same as placing it in an industrial area or a tucked-away corner of unincorporated King County. There are reasonable concerns about how this company could change the face and feel of our small town.

Whatever your opinion on pot at the K2 building, now is the time to speak up, as a county amendment that would allow pot to be grown and processed at K2, removing a major obstacle this company faces, will soon be considered by our county council. The amendment to the Vashon Town Plan portion of the King County Comprehensive Plan already has support on the council, as it was their original intention to allow marijuana uses at buildings zoned like K2, no matter the location. But a look at the 1996 Vashon Town Plan that established a special business district on the island shows that islanders were specific about what new uses they thought should be allowed in Vashon’s core. Of course the town plan’s creators didn’t include marijuana businesses on the list, as it was 1996. But a line from the town plan reads that one intent of the plan was to “direct gradual growth and infill development so that it best meets the needs of the community and does not over tax infrastructure. The intent is to seek ways to reinforce Vashon’s traditional small town values, character and structure.” We can’t help but wonder what would happen if the same public process around the town plan were carried out today and whether a similar committee would opt to include marijuana growing and processing as an allowed use at properties close to Vashon town.

With little local government on Vashon, our town plan has been one way to give locals a say in what shapes the place we live. Perhaps this particular portion of the town plan is outdated, creating a technical barrier to something that would benefit — or at least not harm — our island. Or perhaps it’s a reason to think twice about allowing this large marijuana business to set up shop in the middle of the island. Either way, we don’t think a county ordinance passed last year should trump our town plan without some serious consideration by both islanders and county officials.

King County is giving Vashon residents the chance to voice their views before this significant amendment goes through. Islanders are known for taking advantage of the public process, and we encourage them to do so next Wednesday at McMurray Middle School.