The public can comment on the county’s new recreational marijuana ordinance this month.

A public hearing has been set for 10:15 a.m. Monday, April 21, in the Board of County Commissioners Hearing Room in Coupeville. A second opportunity for public input will be available later that night at 6 p.m.

The county developed the ordinance in response to the state’s passage of Initiative 502, which legalized recreational marijuana. The county put a six-month moratorium in place in November so staff could research and develop regulations.

County leadership experienced some push back from potential growers on both the approval of the moratorium and a restriction on marijuana production in Ebey’s Landing National Reserve, which was removed by the Island County Planning Commission last month.

The commission held two public hearings on their recommendations for the ordinance. The completed ordinance now goes to the Island County commissioners for review and approval. County leadership is hoping to have an ordinance in place before the moratorium expires in May.

The complete ordinance is posted online on the Island County Planning and Community Development department’s website, www.islandcounty.net