Pubdate: Wed, 21 Oct 2009
Source: Glendale News-Press (CA)
Copyright: 2009 Times Community Newspapers
Contact:  http://www.glendalenewspress.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/167
Author: Melanie Hicken
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mmj.htm (Cannabis - Medicinal)

MORATORIUM ON POT IS EXTENDED

Medical Marijuana Dispensaries Won't Be Coming To  Glendale Any Time
Soon After Vote.

CITY HALL -- Amid an evolving legal battle surrounding  Los Angeles'
moratorium on medical marijuana  dispensaries, the Glendale City
Council approved the  city's moratorium on the shops with little discussion.

The council voted 4 to 0, with Councilman Ara Najarian  absent, to
extend the current 45-day moratorium, which  was set to expire Nov. 5,
for an additional 10 months  and 15 days in order to give city
attorneys more time  to study the legal landscape swirling around pot
dispensaries.

Council members made no comments on the issue before  voting to
approve the extension. Members of the public  were also silent, with
none choosing to speak during  the required public hearing. L.A.-based
Holistic Co-Opt  owner Randy Llamas, who has made repeated inquiries
into opening a Glendale location and spoke out against  the moratorium
last month, was not in attendance.

When the council first approved the moratorium,  Councilwoman Laura
Friedman emphasized the council  would not yet be wading into debating
the issue of  medical marijuana, only the temporary move.

While the Los Angeles moratorium was aimed at  controlling a
proliferation of the shops in recent  years, Glendale's moratorium was
prompted by an  increase in inquiries from potential vendors, city
officials said. Currently, no shops operate within the  city.

Medical marijuana dispensaries are prohibited under the  city's zoning
codes, but city officials proposed the  moratorium in September to
close Glendale's borders to  the shops until the council can make a
decision on how  to handle what is becoming a complicated legal issue
at  the state and federal level.

"A number of items have come across in this area," said  Chief
Assistant City Atty. Mike Garcia.

Garcia noted several developments that have taken place  since the
council first approve the moratorium last  month.

Last week, Los Angeles County Dist. Atty. Steve Cooley  announced his
intentions to go after dispensaries  operating for profit because that
would violate state  law.

On Monday, a Superior Court judge granted a preliminary  injunction
against a Los Angeles city moratorium on new  medical marijuana
dispensaries -- citing the temporary  ban, which the City Council
extended after it initially  lapsed, was invalid.

By extending the restriction before its expiration  date, the Glendale
City Council abided by state laws  for enacting moratoriums. During
the extended time,  city attorneys will monitor the legal landscape --
  including a coming appeals court decision regarding an  Anaheim ban
on the shops -- and come back to the  council with recommendations
regarding a potential ban  or other regulations, Garcia said.

"We'd like to extend the moratorium so that we can  continue to watch
and see what regulations might be  appropriate," Garcia said. 
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MAP posted-by: Jo-D