Pubdate: Wed, 21 Jan 2009
Source: Summit Daily News (CO)
Copyright: 2009 Summit Daily News
Contact: http://apps.summitdaily.com/forms/letter/index.php
Website: http://www.summitdaily.com/home.php
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/587
Author: Caitlin Row
Note: The Denver Post contributed to this article.
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mmj.htm (Cannabis - Medicinal)

DILLON EXTENDS ITS POT DISPENSARY MORATORIUM AGAIN

Town Officials Want To See How The State Will Regulate The Blossoming
Trade

DILLON - Trying to figure out how to handle medical marijuana
dispensaries isn't getting any easier for Colorado municipalities.
Still unsure about how it wants to proceed with regulations for the
businesses, the Town of Dillon is likely extending its moratorium
until the end of the year. The town has already extended its 90-day
moratorium once, and it currently would expire on Feb. 13. The second
moratorium extension will probably be brought to council as an
emergency ordinance at the Feb. 2 town meeting. If approved, it will
go into effect immediately.

Town manager Devin Granbery said the moratorium extension should give
them an adequate amount of time to decide what its stance will be on
dispensaries - throughout 2010, council and staff will be able to see
if and what the state Legislature decides regarding regulations, and
if any other information regarding litigation comes to light.

"This issue is muddier now than it ever has been," Granbery
said.

According to town attorney Mark Shapiro, a number of towns who
previously said no to allowing dispensaries are now entering
moratoriums in response to litigation over medical marijuana in
Centennial. The Denver Post writes that an Arapahoe County judge
barred the city of Centennial from shutting down a medical marijuana
dispensary at the end of 2009 - the judge said the Centennial
government had no right to use federal law as a pretext for doing so.

"It's an ever-changing landscape," Shapiro said, who also stated that
he wouldn't be surprised if nothing came from the state Legislature on
regulations this session.

Council members unanimously supported extending the moratorium through
2010, though they're also aware a moratorium cannot be extended
indefinitely. Granbery told them they could also shorten the
moratorium if they determine what their regulating actions will be
before the year concludes.

For now, Dillon's council and staff are prepared to watch and
wait.

"There's just too much up in the air," said councilman Ron
Holland.

The Denver Post contributed to this article.
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MAP posted-by: Jo-D