A development agreement between North Bend and a marijuana store developer was approved on Dec. 1, allowing what will be the city’s first pot shop to continue setting up.

The developer agreement was approved by the City Council, and will allow the Wayne Seminoff to proceed with his plan to construct the store at 43514 SE North Bend Way. Previous applicants have tried and failed to open marijuana stores in the city.

In 2019, another applicant tried siting a store in the Mountain Valley Shopping Center through a separate development agreement, but private conditions and restrictions at the shopping center blocked it.

While marijuana stores are legal in the city, it has been difficult to find locations. The development agreement approved by the city council allows the pot shop to open in an area not zoned for it, with conditions.

The council requires the developers to pay an annual $25,000 public safety fee to mitigate impacts on the surrounding area. It’s anticipated that the store, which will be the only one in the Snoqualmie Valley, will bring in about $100,000 in sales tax revenue for the city. Some 60 percent of North Bend voters voted to legalize marijuana in 2012.

No public parks are located within state-mandated buffer areas near the proposed marijuana store. There is a church in the area, but churches are not listed as sensitive areas that require buffering. And the store will need to blend in with surrounding buildings.

The store itself will be housed in a remodeled single-family home, which could take up to two years.

The city council approved the development agreement with a 5-1 vote, with one council member absent.