Pubdate: Thu, 18 Mar 2010
Source: Daily Camera (Boulder, CO)
Copyright: 2010 The Daily Camera.
Contact:  http://www.dailycamera.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/103
Author: Erica Meltzer

BOULDER EXTENDS INTERIM MED-POT RULES

Officials Also Seek Clarification on Solar Gardens
Bill

Boulder's temporary regulations on medical marijuana  dispensaries
will remain in place while city planners  work on developing permanent
rules for the burgeoning  industry.

The city's temporary regulations, which require  dispensaries not to
locate within 500 feet of schools  and day-care centers and not to
cluster in areas that  already have three of the businesses, were set
to  expire at the end of the month.

The Boulder City Council, which met Wednesday, voted  unanimously to
extend the temporary rules until July 7  or until permanent
regulations are adopted.

Two members of Growing Colorado, a local organization  of
dispensaries, asked the city to extend the temporary  regulations so
their members have more time to work  with city officials on crafting
permanent rules.  Growing Colorado members say they favor sensible
regulation, but they have concerns about some of the  city's proposed
measures.

The City Council already has approved a first reading  of the more
extensive regulations, which would  establish a new monitoring and
licensing system,  require dispensaries to install alarm systems and
allow  dispensaries to keep only enough marijuana on site for  the
number of patients they have.

A second reading of the ordinance, including a public  hearing, is
scheduled for May 4.

In other business, the council expressed sympathy for  concerns raised
by some local solar installers about a  bill in the state Legislature
that would allow  residents who cannot install solar at their homes to
  buy shares in community solar gardens and receive  credit on their
electricity bills.

The bill, introduced by state Rep. Claire Levy, a  Boulder Democrat,
at the request of the city, has drawn  opposition from some small
solar companies, who say it  would promote large solar farms at the
expense of  smaller arrays developed by local companies.

"We can compete for 500 kilowatts, but we'll never be  able to compete
for 2 megawatts," said JoElyn Newcomb,  director of Independent Power
Systems, referring to the  minimum and maximum size of the solar
gardens that  would be allowed under the bill. "That will mean local
jobs are lost."

City Manager Jane Brautigam said the city had asked  Levy to hold off
on a second reading of the bill until  the issues raised by smaller
companies could be  addressed. City Council members said they want to
make  sure the bill doesn't have unintended consequences.

But they also want the bill passed so that renters,  people who live
in condominiums or historic districts  and people whose houses have
too much shade have an  opportunity to participate in solar energy and
so the  city as a whole increases its use of renewable energy  sources.

Reached by phone, Levy said she is removing some  provisions of the
bill that have caused concern and  circulating amendments to all the
interested parties.  However, she said she thinks small solar
companies are  overestimating the impact of the bill on their
industry, and there would be plenty of business to go  around.

"Their concerns are not necessarily consistent with  increasing access
to solar power or looking out for  consumers or increasing the total
amount of solar  generation," she said. 
- ---
MAP posted-by: Richard Lake