Pubdate: Thu, 11 Jun 2009
Source: Union, The (Grass Valley, CA)
Copyright: 2009 The Union
Contact: http://apps.theunion.com/utils/forms/lettertoeditor/
Website: http://www.theunion.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/957
Author: Dave Moller, Senior Staff Writer

POT SHOPS HANG IN LIMBO

City Poised to Extend Moratorium

A moratorium on medical marijuana shops will likely be extended to one
year when the Grass Valley City Council meets Friday.

The council will discuss the issue at 5 p.m. at City Hall, 125 E. Main
St.

The council's goal is to look at what the process would include to put
(marijuana dispensaries) into appropriate places in the city," said
Mayor Lisa Swarthout Wednesday. "We want options from (police) Chief
(John) Foster other than just banning them."

The council enacted an emergency ordinance April 28 for a 45-day
moratorium after the police chief learned at a state conference that
crime has escalated around other marijuana dispensaries in California.

Council members did not indicate they wanted a full-fledged ban at
that time. However, they did ask Foster and city staff to come up with
rules and regulations about medical pot shops in case anyone applied
to open one.

While she understood Foster's concerns, Swarthout said in April a
medical marijuana dispensary in Colfax is posing no problems,
according to information she received from that town's city attorney.

Since then, an application for a medical marijuana business license
has been turned into Foster, but it has not been formally filed with
the city. The names of the applicants could not be confirmed late Wednesday.

I told them we would probably be extending the moratorium," Foster
said. Mayor Swarthout also said the council would probably extend the
moratorium for the full year.

This extension is needed in order to conduct a study on how best to
address the potential imminent threats to public safety, health and
welfare resulting from medical marijuana dispensaries," said Foster in
documents prepared for Friday's meeting.

While the emergency ordinance to extend the moratorium only deals with
the upcoming 10 1/2 months starting Friday, there is language in it
that could be used in the future for a permanent ban. The language
says marijuana dispensaries are "a public nuisance," and are not
permitted within any city zone.

The council will need a four-fifths vote to extend the emergency
ordinance out to a full year, according to city documents.

Nevada City passed a similar 45-day medical marijuana dispensary
moratorium in mid-May, after resident Harry Bennett approached the
city to open one. City officials are now working on a regulating
ordinance to replace the emergency one. 
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake