Current state law allows up to two retail marijuana stores in a city the size of Auburn, but as of year’s end there was only The Stash Box at 3108 A St. SE.

Given the Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board’s recent decision to lift the limit on the number of such stores, allowing medical patients access to the products they need, however, more may come to Auburn.

That possibility is what led the Auburn City Council on Monday to impose a 12-month moratorium on the acceptance of applications, permits and licenses for additional marijuana retail stores.

“What’s happened at the state Legislature is that the law has changed,” said City Councilman John Holman, one of the supporters of approving marijuana sales in the City of Auburn. “And rather than be limited to two marijuana retail outlets in the City of Auburn, this kind of throws the floodgates open. … This gives us time to study; it does nothing to change the existing businesses that we have right now. It does give us up to a year to consider the implications of how the state law will impact us.”

Councilman Claude DaCorsi noted that as the Auburn Planning Commission did when the City Council approved marijuana sales in Auburn, it will conduct public hearings while the City is moving through its process.

“As things in some respect become a moving target at the state Legislature, it gives us in the City an opportunity to step back and take a wider-eyed look at this, to look at the impacts that are going to occur in the city of Auburn and what that means for everybody who lives here, works here, and comes into our town,” said DaCorsi.

Councilman Rich Wagner did not hide his frustration with the state.

“I’d encourage citizens to contact their legislators and tell the state to get their act together. … I personally think that marijuana is no worse than beer, and if we had all the regulations on marijuana that we have on beer, I think that would be fine. But the state is not doing its job. The (Washington) Liquor and Cannabis Control Board (WSLCB) is dragging its feet, spending more time talking about how much money they’ll make rather than how safe they’ll keep us.”

Dana Hinman, director of administration for the City of Auburn, said staff wants to ensure that City regulations and codes are able to handle additional stores.

In a press release Dec. 16, WSLCB Director Rick Garza said the goal of the new regulations is to allow more storefronts for patients than are available today. He added that qualified patients may “grow their own” or join a four-member cooperative.

The WSLCB will determine the number of retail locations via a method that distributes the number of locations proportionate to the most populous cities within each county and to accommodate the medical needs of qualifying patients and designated providers. Locations not assigned to a specific city will be at-large.

WSLCB will increase the number of available licenses in the 10 counties with the highest medical sales by 100 percent. Among the exceptions are Yakima and Benton counties, which have bans and moratoria in all major population centers. The increase will transfer to the next two highest for medical needs, Skagit and Cowlitz counties. Those counties and jurisdictions that are not in the top 10 for medical sales will receive an increase of the number of licensees by 75 percent.

Here is a rundown of events that have brought matters to the present push:

In 2015, the Legislature approved and Gov. Inslee signed the Cannabis Patient Protection Act, which directs the WSLCB, the state Department of Health and other agencies to draft regulations integrating the medical marijuana marketplace into the tightly-controlled recreational marketplace.

The state agency started accepting applications for new retail license on Oct. 12, 2015, giving priority to existing medical outlets. All medical marijuana dispensaries must be licensed by July 1, 2016 or face closure.

The WSLCB expected to announce new emergency rules on Jan. 6, 2016 and to publish the allocation of retail licenses it had determined on its website at lcb.wa.gov.

The WSLCB is charged with licensing retail applicants using a priority-based system. First-priority applicants are those who applied for a marijuana retail license before July 1, 2014, operated — or were employed by — a collective garden prior to Jan. 1, 2013, have maintained a state and local business license, and have a history of paying state taxes and fees.

Second-priority applicants are those who operated — or were employed by — a collective garden prior to Jan. 1, 2013, have maintained a state and local business license, and have a history of paying state taxes and fees.

Third priority applicants are those who don’t meet the first or second criteria.

As of Dec. 16, the WSLCB had received 1,194 retail applications. Of those who applied, 39 were determined as priority one and 42 as priority two.

Applicants must still meet all other WSLCB licensing criteria before being licensed.

In addition to new retail licensees, 70 percent of existing retail recreational marijuana stores have received an endorsement on their license to sell medical marijuana.