The Pacific City Council hosts a public hearing at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 3 to hear what people think about extending a moratorium on marijuana businesses in the city.

Pacific’s moratorium on medical marijuana businesses expires Feb. 12.

The extension, which could be voted on during a special meeting after the public hearing, would add recreational marijuana businesses to the ban, if passed.

Two medical marijuana businesses – Pacific Green Collective and Chronic Solutions – are open in the same business complex on Stewart Road in Pacific. Pacific Green, which opened during a lapse in the City’s moratorium, has been operating for more than a year.

Chronic Solutions opened less than six months ago as a nonprofit, which is not required to obtain a business license from the City to operate.

Mayor Leanne Guier said the City is conferring with lawyers from the Association of Washington Cities.

“They’ve been giving us some guidelines and suggestions,” Guier said.

The Washington State Liquor Control Board – which oversees the production, processing and retailing of marijuana in the state – has received more than 5,000 applications for pot businesses, which became legal with the passage of Initiative 502.

Although there is no limit on how many processor and production licenses the state may issue, the WSLCB has capped the retail license total at 334, with 17 at-large retail locations allotted to Pierce and 11 at-large to King.

The WSLCB will hold a lottery to decide which applicants will receive retail licenses.