BREAKING: Pendleton council to let marijuana moratorium expire
Published 8:30 pm Tuesday, August 18, 2026
PENDLETON — The 120-day moratorium on marijuana businesses will expire on Aug. 20 with the Pendleton city council choosing to take no action on extending the moratorium temporarily or permanently.
The Pendleton city council held a public meeting Tuesday, Aug. 18. A decision on the marijuana business moratorium was on the council's table. The council had the option to implement a permanent or extended moratorium, or take no action and let it expire on Aug. 20.
During the public meeting, City Attorney Jeremy Green said the city is legally limited in its options. After a work session on July 14, Green researched whether or not the city can implement a permanent or extended moratorium despite voters previously deciding to legalize marijuana retail in the city.
Not only would the city not be allowed to enact a permanent moratorium without putting it up to a vote by the people, but an extended moratorium until a vote by the people was not recommended either, according to Green. The attorney cited ORS 475C.950 as his reasoning.
“It is our opinion that a continuation of the moratorium arguably operates as a prohibition, and there is not a statutory basis, in our opinion, to have a moratorium in place pending the results of any type of voter decision,†Green said.
Councilor Addison Schulberg said it appeared the council's only option was to let the marijuana moratorium time out. Councilors agreed to let the moratorium time out, but asked City Manager Robb Corbett to set up an executive session with Green to discuss the city's legal ability to refer the situation back to the voters, rather than having voters take it up themselves.
Erin Purchase, the owner of Kind Leaf Pendleton, briefly spoke after Mayor McKennon McDonald opened up the floor to community members. Purchase thanked the council for their time considering the issue, and said she hopes the issue is brought to voters.
“I'm the only one with the courage to come up and stand in front of all of you and ask you to pass the moratorium,†she said. “There's a lot of people out there that have the same issues that I have.â€
The 120-day moratorium was enacted in April, after some residents and marijuana business owners expressed concerns about the oversaturation of retail marijuana in the city.
