Pubdate: Sat, 13 Dec 2008
Source: Hi-Desert Star (Yucca Valley, CA)
Copyright: 2008 Hi Desert Star
Contact:  http://www.hidesertstar.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3921
Author: Rebecca Unger, Hi-Desert Star
Cited: Yucca Valley Town Council 
http://www.yucca-valley.org/townhall/council.html
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/topic/dispensaries

POT DISPENSARY TO REMAIN OPEN

Yucca Valley -- The Town Council voted unanimously Thursday night to 
put a moratorium on the establishment of medical marijuana 
dispensaries and the distribution of medical marijuana at existing 
businesses in the town. This will grant the Town an initial 45-day 
review period in which to form zoning and other land-use policy for 
this kind of business.

A health collective that opened about three months ago in the 
Monterey Business Center and is dispensing marijuana will be allowed 
to continue to do so despite the moratorium.

Deputy Town Manager Shane Stueckle said California Alternative 
Medicinal Solutions would not be forced to close as operators had 
"conformed to the regulations in place at the time they established 
their business and obtained their business registration in the Town."

The business offers Eastern-style medicine, herbal and homeopathic 
remedies and "medical cannabis."

Another issue addressed by Stueckle's staff report was the concern of 
some citizens that the dispensary was close to the Desert Ballet 
Centre and Yucca Valley Karate, two businesses that primarily serve 
children. Stueckle found that under California land-use laws, CAMS 
has a legal right to operate there.

Speaking to that issue during public comment, CAMS founder D.J. Ross 
said location was a big concern when choosing a site, and the 
collective's board "considered the most extreme conservative view."

Ross said they picked an industrial business park that was "out of 
the way, that you cannot just accidentally drive to. You have to 
deliberately have a reason to go there."

Lori Green of Yucca Valley challenged the wisdom of permitting the 
dispensary to operate at its current location. She spoke for Desert 
Ballet Centre and Yucca Valley Karate, saying its owners have a 
problem with CAMS being next door.

With a rising voice, Green decried the company's choice of an 
out-of-the-way location, which she called "out of the public eye." 
She accused the business of keeping itself quiet from the community, 
so that "half of the community doesn't know" it's there.

Speaking as a parent of students who use the facilities, she was 
concerned about the safety of the children.

While Green was speaking, some audience members were heard booing and 
making rude comments. Newly elected mayor Frank Luckino had to step in.

"Everybody needs to have respect. If you want to boo, we have the 
sheriff here who will escort you out," he told the audience. "If you 
want to be listened to, you also have to listen."

Speaking in favor of the collective and its supporters was Joseph 
Glowitz, Hi-Desert Water District engineer and a member of the 
National Institute of Health's Patient Advisory Committee. "There are 
diseases and impairments to many folks where traditional Western 
medicine and therapies are not effective," he remarked.

Glowitz said he hoped the council wouldn't "play into the fear and 
demonize folks," who were looking for alternatives to treat their 
pain and illnesses.

Glowitz also applauded the council  for their deliberate and 
thoughtful approach to the zoning issues involved.

When it came time to vote, the council members had no additional 
comments. Chad Mayes, the new mayor pro tem, moved to approve staff 
recommendations to declare a moratorium, but chaffed at the 
possibility left open in the report that the moratorium could be 
extended more than once.

"Let's not use a year," he said, "let's try to resolve this sooner 
instead of pushing it off and using excuses to delay." 
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake