Pubdate: Wed, 07 Nov 2012 Source: North County Times (Escondido, CA) Copyright: 2012 North County Times Contact: http://www.nctimes.com/app/forms/letters/index.php Website: http://www.nctimes.com Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1080 Author: Tawny Maya McCray DEL MAR, SOLANA BEACH VOTERS REJECT MED POT DISPENSARIES NORTH COUNTY -- Medical marijuana dispensaries will not be coming to Del Mar and Solana Beach. Early returns Tuesday showed both initiatives -- called Proposition H in Del Mar and Proposition W in Solana Beach -- failing to meet the simple majority of votes needed to pass. "We're glad that it is going down to defeat," said Solana Beach Mayor Joe Kellejian. "The citizens of Solana Beach have made the right decision here." Solana Beach Councilwoman Lesa Heebner said, "It's no surprise. It was a flawed initiative." The city councils in both coastal cities voted in July to place the marijuana ordinances on the ballot. The initiatives were sponsored by Patient Care Association, a non-profit association of San Diego medical cannabis collectives and cooperatives. The proposals would have required that dispensaries operate away from residences and at least 600 feet from schools, playgrounds and other areas where children gather. The ordinances proposed to limit storefront dispensaries to commercial and industrial areas and levy a 2.5 percent tax on retail transactions. They also aimed to establish security measures and hours of operation and require licensing by existing city departments. Medical marijuana dispensaries are not allowed in either city under existing zoning laws. Cynara Velazquez, with Citizens for Patient Rights, which works in association with Patient Care Association, said she was shocked and disappointed with the results. "It's exactly the opposite of what we experienced when we walked around (and gathered signatures)," she said. "It seems like people want to support it but when it comes down to voting for it they have the 'Not in my backyard' mentality." - --- MAP posted-by: Matt