Pubdate: Tue, 24 Jan 2012 Source: Arizona Republic (Phoenix, AZ) Copyright: 2012 The Arizona Republic Contact: http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/opinions/sendaletter.html Website: http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/24 Author: Michael Clancy, The Republic PHOENIX WILL HEAR REQUEST FOR MEDICAL-POT FACILITY A new request for a medical-marijuana dispensary in northeast Phoenix is the city's first to have a permit hearing since legal issues surrounding state law apparently have been resolved. The hearing is at 9 a.m. Thursday at Phoenix City Hall, 200 W. Washington St. The site needs at least two variances from the city law governing location of dispensaries -- variances that hearing officers have been reluctant to grant. The dispensary applicant, Linda Sonder of American Healthcare Alternatives, has identified a vacant building on the southeastern corner of Cactus and Cave Creek roads as her site. The building formerly housed a convenience store and a payday-loan operation. But the location is closer than permitted to a residential area and the Phoenix Mountain Preserve. City law requires dispensaries to be 250 feet from homes and a quarter mile from parks. The city also requires it be a mile from another dispensary, and another dispensary was previously approved a quarter-mile to the north. Medical-marijuana dispensary operators have had a tough time finding suitable locations throughout northeast Phoenix, with many facing distancing hurdles. Only one of the five was approved for a city permit, at 12620 N. Cave Creek Road, about a quarter mile north of the intersection with Cactus. Far enough away from the preserve, homes or schools, the site at 12620 N. Cave Creek Road faced only the hurdle of being too close to other sites. But the other locations all were turned down, withdrawn or failed to meet deadlines. - --- MAP posted-by: Richard R Smith Jr.