The Ocean Shores City Council delayed taking final action Monday night to amend its moratorium on new marijuana businesses in city limits, while the council also began to consider a new moratorium on bikini barista businesses.

At the start of the regular council meeting, council members agreed to take the ongoing marijuana moratorium off the agenda for further consideration. A proposal had been made to adopt a Planning Commission recommendation that effectively would allow an additional state-licensed retail facility.

Mayor Crystal Dingler said the intent was for the council to consider an ordinance that “would do what the Planning Commission had recommended, which was to say ‘yes’ to a second retail store and ‘no’ to other marijuana-related businesses.” The Planning Commission had also recommended the city continue a ban on commercial production or marijuana processing as well as a prohibition on cooperative growing operations

Later, Dingler informed the council that a national company had approached the city about opening a bikini barista coffee shop in Ocean Shores, and she asked if there was interest in regulating such a business. Councilman Bob Peterson moved for a moratorium on such establishments, and the council agreed, 7-0, to consider a special emergency meeting on the issue.

“I don’t want this to become Reno or Vegas or sin city,” said Councilwoman Jackie Farra.

After the meeting, Dingler said the company that wanted to open the bikini barista stand had been making inquiries but had not yet applied for a business license. The city may impose a new moratorium, she said.

“We’re starting to work on it so that we can do something quickly,” she said.

“It’s a reminder to us that we need to contemplate these things that could happen,” the mayor added.

In revisiting the marijuana issue, the council had requested an ordinance be brought forth “following the recommendations of the Planning Commission for new businesses to produce, process, or sell marijuana, marijuana-infused products and medical products,” according to the background information provided to the City Council.

City Attorney Brent Dille has advised the council that the existing moratorium may be amended by a simple vote, and that the city can impose some additional limitations on such a business. For example, the city does have the ability to reduce requirements for a 1000-foot buffer to 100 feet around all entities except elementary and secondary schools and public playgrounds, the council was told.

The council has had a moratorium on marijuana businesses that dates back to February 2016, with votes to renew it in August and then again this year. Several public hearings on the issue have been held, including a council hearing most recently on Jan. 23.

Although the council was not ready to take action on Monday night, several citizens spoke against adding a second retail marijuana business, with one currently operating and licensed on Ocean Shores Boulevard and another just outside of city limits at Hogan’s Corner. The owner of the Hogan’s Corner business also addressed the council and urged it not to allow an additional store.

Colette Thomas of the Pakalolo recreational marijuana store said she and her husband have invested about $500,000 to purchase and renovate their building.

“Have a Heart is here in Ocean Shores and I just think it’s a little premature to add an additional store to this small community,” she said. “… We risk losing everything if you put another store in.”