The Ocean Shores City Council on Monday extended the six-month moratorium prohibiting a new marijuana business from operating within city limits while the Planning Commission completes its recommendations on the issue.

The moratorium prevents “the production or processing of marijuana, or the distribution or offering for sale of recreational marijuana or medicinal cannabis by any entity, including marijuana collective gardens, or cooperatives (co-ops) not licensed by the Washington State Liquor Control Board prior to 2016.”

It also would prohibit the granting of any city license or permit related to such activities “to any entity not licensed by the city prior to 2016.”

Presented by City Attorney Brent Dille, the request to continue the moratorium comes less than two weeks since the Planning Commission held a similar public session in which the only testimony in favor of the moratorium came from a representative of the existing retail marijuana business on Ocean Shores Boulevard, Have a Heart.

The council agreed to extend the moratorium because the Planning Commission on Tuesday afternoon is scheduled to revisit and review the testimony and come up with a set of recommendations to the City Council on how to proceed under the new state rules governing and licensing marijuana businesses as well as any potential growing or processing operations.

The Planning Commission meets in an all-day retreat starting at 10 a.m. at Galway Bay on Tuesday, with the regular session of the meeting scheduled for 2 p.m. Galway Bay is at 880 Point Brown Ave. NE.