Hempstalk marijuana festival already denied permit for 2015 waterfront event in Portland

Portland parks officials waited until the day after Oregon's historic vote to legalize recreational marijuana to mail a letter to organizers of Hempstalk Festival, the free annual event to push for marijuana and hemp legalization.

The letter wasn't a congratulatory note to founder Paul Stanford. It was a firm denial of his request to hold the 2015 Hempstalk at Portland's Tom McCall Waterfront Park or any other public property.

"The passage of ballot measure 91 makes no difference in the City's decision," Shawn Rogers, Parks Bureau customer service center manager, wrote Wednesday. The denial "stems only from the inability of organizers to manage the event in accordance with the necessary conditions clearly outlined and revisited on multiple occasions."

What's the fuss about? As in previous years, according to city officials, attendees consumed marijuana, and organizers were unable or unwilling to intervene.

Even after marijuana becomes legal in July, public consumption won't be allowed.

The denial is the latest development in a nearly yearlong saga that includes rejection of the 2014 event, an unprecedented appeal, a City Council hearing to debate the decision, and a protracted permitting process that ended days before the two-day festival in September.

According to Rogers' letter, parks officials again saw "a significant number of individuals smoking marijuana in and around the event," despite bag checks at the entry and strict instructions from city officials to crack down.

Before the festival, Stanford said Waterfront Park would be "the only place" in Portland where marijuana wouldn't be consumed. But according to the city's account, undercover police officers saw vendors selling marijuana products and organizers telling attendees where to smoke pot.

Stanford didn't respond to calls or emails for comment, but a Portland lawyer emailed The Oregonian saying she'd filed an appeal Monday with the city to dispute the permit denial.

"We intend to seek a writ of review," lawyer Ann Witte said in an email, "Asking the court to stop the city council review until our case is heard in court."

Witte called the city's denial letter and reference to Measure 91 "ridiculous."

Previous Hempstalks at Kelley Point Park in North Portland were disorganized, with serious problems controlling drug use, city officials said. This year saw some improvements, but not enough, they said.

Rogers said he went to the festival to check how organizers handled the crowds. He said he heard speakers from the main stage tell attendees to go outside the gates to consume marijuana. They did.

"I actually felt like I was at risk of getting high," Rogers said. "It was pretty intense."

Officials described months of working with organizers -- "holding their hands" -- after Mayor Charlie Hales urged them to give the festival a chance. They said they exchanged hundreds of emails in the weeks leading to the festival.

Hempstalk hired a professional event coordinator, Peter Mott, but too late to make enough difference, city officials said.

Rogers and other parks officials were quick to say the denial was about this group of organizers, not an indictment of marijuana supporters in general.

"There's no reason why an event can't be done legally, lawfully, well-managed," Rogers said.

-- Andrew Theen