Pubdate: Thu, 29 Apr 2010
Source: San Gabriel Valley Tribune (CA)
Copyright: 2010 San Gabriel Valley Tribune
Contact: http://www.sgvtribune.com/writealetter
Website: http://www.sgvtribune.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3725
Author: James Wagner
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?115 (Cannabis - California)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mmj.htm (Cannabis - Medicinal)
Bookmark: http://mapinc.org/topic/Dispensaries

MORE MEDICAL MARIJUANA DISPENSARIES CROP UP IN LA PUENTE

LA PUENTE - Though the city has vowed to push out all of its medical 
marijuana dispensaries, seven are now open in La Puente, according to 
a city report.

Last month, only four were open, but three others have set up shop 
while city attorneys work on an ordinance to ban the shops.

Seven dispensaries is "excessive" and too much for a 3.5 square-mile 
city, Mayor David Argudo said.

One dispensary, Trinity Wellness Center at 15747 Amar Road, is 
handing out flyers and telling customers to attend a city Planning 
Commission meeting on May 10 to oppose the ban.

"We still want to be here," said Gina Howells, one of the board 
members that runs THC2 Cooperative at 15416 Francisquito Avenue. "All 
we've had is positive feedback from the (people in the) city."

On Jan. 13, La Puente, a city of nearly 42,000, approved a limit of 
six dispensaries. But twelve businesses applied for licenses before 
the ordinance took effect in February.

"Unfortunately, we ended up with more than we intended to have 
originally," Argudo said.

But after residents complained, the City Council on Feb. 24 directed 
its attorneys to return with an ordinance banning the dispensaries. 
City officials said they expected to have the ordinance done in 45 
days, which passed April 8.

Attorney James Casso, who is handling the issue for the city, said 
the ordinance is not yet complete.

The Planning Commission, which would consider the ban first, is 
scheduled to hear a resolution recommending the adoption of the 
ordinance on May 10, Casso said.

It will be a special meeting because the regularly scheduled meeting 
on May 4 will be cancelled, he said.

The meeting had to be rescheduled because its time wasn't posted in 
time, city officials said.

Along with the seven dispensaries, two others have business licenses 
but aren't yet operating.

Councilmen Dan Holloway and John Solis, who first proposed the idea 
of banning the dispensaries at the Feb. 23 council meeting, did not 
return calls for comment.

Since its opening on Feb. 15, THC2 Cooperative has been busy, Howells said.

Nearly 100 people come to the shop daily, with the "majority" from La 
Puente, she said.

The dispensary is one of the first to apply to open in the city, and 
Howell said she did "everything by the book."

"I am really scared because we put a lot of money in this," Howells said.

She said she pays $11,000 in sales tax each month, about $1,100 of 
which goes to the city.

Tom Noice, who co-owns Today's Holistic Collective at 1359 Hacienda 
Boulevard, said the city's changing stance has been frustrating.

"Personally, I think the city is biting off more than it can chew," he said.

Noice said he has poured nearly $30,000 in improvements to the shop 
in order to follow the city's rules. They have been open since 
February 5 and have registered 1,600 customers, he said.

The shop generates taxes, employs 10 people and has drawn customers 
to the shopping center and nearby stores, he said.

He and other dispensaries will likely fight any move by the city to 
ban them, Noice said.

"This is typical government," he said. "That they didn't think 
everything through when they did it."
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom