Pierce County served a notice of violation Wednesday, March 4, on a retail marijuana business called The Gallery that opened in Parkland without a required permit.

The Pierce County Building Official, who inspects structures for compliance with building codes, hand-delivered a notice that The Gallery is in violation of County Code by operating without a tenant occupancy permit. The business owner has 14 days to appeal the notice.

Pierce County Responds, the program that investigates complaints about code enforcement, has visited the business several times to inspect it and advise that the business also needs a conditional use permit. Without that permit, Pierce County Responds can issue a Notice and Order to Correct.

The Gallery faces potential fines of up to $1,000 per day for failing to obtain the permits.

The business owner reportedly has received a retail marijuana license from the Washington State Liquor Control Board, per Initiative 502. Pierce County Code 18A.12, created through County ordinance 2013-111s, permits licensed marijuana businesses in specific zones subject to compliance with the regulations and the granting of a conditional use permit. One of the county regulatory requirements is that no applications shall be approved until marijuana is removed from the schedule of controlled substances by the federal government.