Pubdate: Sat, 19 Dec 2009
Source: Press-Enterprise (Riverside, CA)
Copyright: 2009 The Press-Enterprise Company
Contact: http://www.pe.com/localnews/opinion/letters_form.html
Website: http://www.pe.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/830
Author: Gene Ghiotto

LAKE ELSINORE COUNCIL TO CONSIDER MORATORIUM ON LEGAL MARIJUANA OPERATIONS

The Lake Elsinore City Council will consider a proposal Tuesday to 
establish a 45-day moratorium on legal marijuana-growing activities 
in the city so it can determine how the operations can be regulated.

The proposal is in response to a request for a business license and 
phone inquiries to the city about establishing operations to grow, 
dry, farm, package, process and distribute medical marijuana on a 
wholesale level, according to the staff report.

Lake Elsinore's municipal code and general plan do not include 
discussions on marijuana manufacturing activities, how they are 
regulated or where they can be located.

The city also prohibits medical marijuana dispensaries but allows for 
the possession, use and cultivation of medical marijuana in 
accordance with state law, which lets those in need obtain and use it 
under some circumstances, according to a staff report.

The proposal that will come before the council directs city staff to 
begin studying how to regulate marijuana-growing activities and to 
return to the council with more information, though no date was specified.

A moratorium would prevent such activities from being legally 
established while city officials study how it may go about regulating 
them, according to the staff report.

Robert Riedel, co-founder of Mother Earth's Alternative Healing 
Cooperative in Fallbrook, confirmed that he applied for a business 
license to operate a marijuana-growing facility in an industrial area 
near Skylark Airport.

The facility would have produced marijuana for the cooperative, but 
the application was turned down because of the location of the 
proposed operation, he said.

"It would have been a growing facility only," Riedel said. "There was 
no storefront."

Riedel applauded city officials for bringing the moratorium proposal 
before the council.

"I think (Lake) Elsinore is showing their due diligence," Riedel said.

The proposal, presented as an urgency measure, requires a yes vote by 
four of the five council members to be approved as such.

[sidebar]

MEETING

The Lake Elsinore City Council is scheduled to consider a moratorium 
on legal marijuana growing so it can consider rules on how to regulate them.

When: Tuesday

Time: 7 p.m.

Where: Lake Elsinore Cultural Center, 183 N. Main St.
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake