Pendleton City Council will consider a marijuana retailer appeal and the 2026-27 budget at a special meeting at 7 p.m. Tuesday, June 23 in Council Chambers at city hall, 500 SW Dorion Ave.
The council will hold a public hearing on an appeal of a Pendleton Planning Commission decision that approved a new marijuana retail business before the city imposed a six-month moratorium on new marijuana licenses earlier this year. Two parties filed appeals seeking to overturn that approval. One appellant identified in filings is would-be competitor Kind Leaf Pendleton.
Background: the planning commission signed off on the retail application prior to the moratorium. The city council must now decide whether to reverse the commission’s approval, uphold it, or send the matter back to the planning commission with instructions to reconsider under specific criteria. If councilors grant either appeal, the commission’s approval would be voided; if the council denies both appeals, the retailer’s approval would stand.
Council members can also require the planning commission to reopen its review and apply targeted standards or conditions before any final permit issues. The proceedings will include public comment; the hearing is open to any resident or stakeholder who wishes to speak.
Budget vote: councilors will vote to adopt the 2026-27 budget that the budget committee approved in late May. The proposed budget lists total resources and appropriations across all funds at about $120 million. That figure represents an increase of roughly $22.8 million from the 2025-26 budget total of $97.2 million.
The city did not provide a full line-item breakdown in the meeting notice, but the budget committee’s approval indicates the council will consider the same package adopted at the committee level unless councilors propose amendments. The council’s vote will set departmental spending limits, capital expenditures, and reserve requirements for the fiscal year that begins in 2026.
Process and possible outcomes: for the marijuana retailer appeal, the council must base its decision on the record created by the planning commission and arguments raised during the public hearing. Options available to councilors include: – Granting the appeals and overturning the planning commission’s approval. – Denying the appeals and affirming the approval. – Remanding the application to the planning commission with instructions to re-evaluate under specific, enumerated standards.
Each option triggers a distinct administrative outcome: an overturned approval stops the retailer from proceeding under the existing permit; an affirmed approval allows the applicant to move forward with licensing steps; a remand forces renewed review and can add conditions or clarify findings.
Public access and timing: the meeting begins at 7 p.m. in the council chambers at city hall, and members of the public may attend to observe or testify during the hearing segment. Mayor McKennon McDonald told the council at its regular meeting on June 16 that she expects the special session to run long so members can review all filings, testimony, and budget materials thoroughly.
What to watch: the council’s decision on the appeal will determine whether a new retail cannabis business may proceed under the planning commission’s prior approval or whether the city imposes additional review steps. The budget adoption will allocate about $120 million across city operations and capital projects for 2026-27 and will increase the city’s planned spending by approximately $22.8 million compared with the prior year.
Residents and interested parties can attend the meeting in person to observe deliberations and offer public comment during the hearing. The council’s final votes on both the appeal and the budget will appear in the public record following the meeting.
