Pubdate: Thu, 24 Jul 2014
Source: Denver Post (CO)
Copyright: 2014 The Denver Post Corp
Contact:  http://www.denverpost.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/122
Author: Jason Blevins
Page: 10 A

CANNABIS CLUB CAN STAY

The Breckenridge Town Council Delays Eviction of the Main Street
Dispensary Till February.

The Breckenridge Town Council on Tuesday night delayed the eviction of
a downtown marijuana dispensary, laying the groundwork for a potential
public vote in November on whether to allow pot sales in the downtown
core.

The owners of the Breckenridge Cannabis Club were asking the council
to reconsider a September decision that prohibited marijuana shops in
the downtown core. That rule allowed the club to remain at its
second-floor Main Street location through the end of its lease, which
expires Aug. 30.

Tuesday night's decision pushes the pot shop's potential eviction back
to early February, roughly three months after a planned referendum in
November.

The council was pondering a market study to examine the impact of
recreational marijuana sales on the town's image when a council member
suggested putting the issue to a public vote. The ballot issue would
be written by the council and would include regulations of downtown
pot sales. Those rules could include limits on signage, requiring
shops to be in second-floor locations but without displacing
residential units, and capping at five the number of marijuana
dispensaries in town.

On first reading, the council voted 6 to 1 to allow the Cannabis Club
to remain on Main Street through January and to put Main Street
marijuana on the November ballot.

Mayor John Warner voted against the measure, telling his colleagues he
preferred to gather more market data on whether the downtown pot shop
is impacting the town's brand.

"I don't know if it is," Warner said. "I think if we had some market
research we would know more."

Cannabis Club owner Caitlin McGuire said the decision was "a breath of
fresh air." She had lobbied the council to reconsider the ban on Main
Street sales, pointing to the lack of police-involved incidents at her
dispensary and the educational role her employees play with curious
tourists.

Her dispensary has been on Main Street since 2009. She began selling
recreational marijuana when it became legal in January this year.
McGuire is pleased to see locals will get a chance to voice their
opinion on downtown marijuana sales. Summit County residents approved
recreational marijuana sales by nearly 70 percent in 2012 and more
than 70 percent of Breckenridge residents decriminalized possession of
small amounts of marijuana in 2009.

"I have every confidence that the voters will vote in support of
letting us keep our downtown location," McGuire said.
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MAP posted-by: Matt