Bristol Bay Borough adopts local opt-out of retail marijuana sales after heated public hearing

The Bristol Bay Borough Assembly voted on March 2 to adopt Ordinance 2026-O-07, a local-option measure that prohibits the sale and importation for sale of marijuana and the operation of marijuana facilities in the borough.

The ordinance followed a public hearing that brought competing views from legal counsel for the prospective retailer and multiple local residents. Jana Weltzin, attorney for Alaska Grown Cannabis, told the assembly that the borough had the authority to opt out but urged members to consider the trade-offs: "The real question tonight is not whether you can opt out, but whether you should," she said, arguing that a regulated retail system offers testing, tracking and consumer protections that would be lost if sales moved to unregulated sources.

Owners and representatives of Alaska Grown Cannabis said their business had followed state licensing processes and invested in the community. "We card every customer, we follow every state regulation, we track inventory from seed to sale," said Collin Peacock, an owner. He said opting out would eliminate local oversight, jobs and tax revenue.

Neighbors and other residents who opposed retail sales cited traffic, proximity to homes and concerns about youth access. "I don't want a marijuana shop next door to me," said Noah Anguson, a local resident and foster-care licensee, urging the assembly to prioritize children and families.

Assembly members debated whether the question should be decided by the assembly or by a public referendum and requested clarifying legal points. Attorney testimony during the meeting clarified that an adopted opt-out would void an existing state retail license for 60 days after adoption.

After discussion, an assembly member moved to adopt the ordinance. The chair called for the voice vote; the motion carried and the assembly declared Ordinance 2026-O-07 adopted. The transcript records the motion, member remarks and the assembly's voice vote but does not include a roll-call tally by name in the public record.

Votes at a glance
- Ordinance 2026-O-07 (marijuana opt-out): adopted (voice vote; recorded as "motion carries" in the minutes).
- Ordinance 2026-O-08 (title 6 animals, as amended): adopted (voice vote).
- Resolution 2026-R-07 (recovered heat negotiations with MACDAC/NEA): authorized (assembly directed manager and mayor to negotiate and return with finalized terms).

Next steps: The ordinance takes effect under the borough's local-option rules; staff and legal counsel will provide final wording and procedural follow-up. Any party subject to the opt-out could pursue ballot action under state initiative rules; members discussed that citizen initiatives and petitions remain a possible route to a public vote.

(Reporting notes: quotes and outcomes are drawn from the March 2, 2026 assembly transcript and the public hearing record.)