Pubdate: Thu, 19 Jul 2012
Source: San Diego Union Tribune (CA)
Copyright: 2012 Union-Tribune Publishing Co.
Contact:  http://www.utsandiego.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/386
Note: Seldom prints LTEs from outside it's circulation area.
Author: Lyndsay Winkley

MEDICAL MARIJUANA DISPENSARY ISSUE TO GO BEFORE DEL MAR VOTERS

DEL MAR - Del Mar's City Council unanimously voted late Wednesday 
night to place a medical marijuana dispensary ordinance before voters 
in November.

After a petition suggesting the allowance of marijuana dispensaries 
in Del Mar was submitted with the support of more than 10 percent of 
city voters in June, the council opted to order a report on the 
subject. Although neither council members nor the public received a 
copy of the report until Wednesday's meeting, the council chose to 
push the issue to voters.

"It is a deeply divisive issue and in 10 days it will still be a 
deeply divisive issue," said Councilman Don Mosier.

While council members stressed the importance of proceeding with the 
petition process, all expressed disapproval of the ordinance.

"We have an obligation with a petition to move it forward toward an 
election," Councilman Terry Sinnott said. "I feel confident when 
(voters) see the details, they will reject it because it puts Del Mar 
in a very bad position."

The 18-page report accompanied by exhibits resulted in mixed 
responses. About 20 people spoke, expressing a variety of viewpoints, 
including noticeable opposition toward the ordinance and spirited support.

Del Mar might be the first of several cities to place the ordinance 
before voters. Lemon Grove's City Council ordered a report to assess 
the issue after almost 3,000 signatures were submitted. Enough 
signatures were collected in Solana Beach to force City Council 
members to take up the subject as well, said Cynara Velasquez with 
Citizen's for Patients Rights. More than 1,600 signatures were 
presented to get the item on the Solana Beach July 25 council meeting 
agenda. Encinitas will receive a petition with signatures Thursday 
morning, she said. The group is still working to qualify the ballot 
measure in La Mesa.

Lemon Grove Mayor Mary Sessom suggested Citizen's for Patients Rights 
may be focusing on the city because of its small population, which 
decreases the number of signatures needed to force the issue before 
the City Council. The group failed to collect even a third of the 
signatures needed for the same measure in San Diego. All cities 
currently being petitioned have a population of fewer than 60,000, 
according to the 2010 census. Del Mar has a population of fewer than 5,000.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom