Pubdate: Wed, 04 Mar 2015
Source: Denver Post (CO)
Copyright: 2015 The Denver Post Corp
Contact:  http://www.denverpost.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/122
Author: Ricardo Baca

Unlicensed Marijuana Grows

CITY PROPOSES 36-PLANT LIMIT

The Change Would Affect Large Operations.

The city of Denver is proposing changes that would limit unlicensed, 
nonresidential marijuana cultivations to 36 plants.

The officials behind the proposed change, which chiefly would affect 
oversized collective grows and caregivers with a large number of 
plants, hope the amendment would make for safer conditions, clearer 
law enforcement options and fewer opportunities for untracked 
marijuana to escape into the black or gray markets.

The City Council's Safety and Well-being Committee unanimously 
approved the proposal Tuesday, but members including Robin Kniech and 
Albus Brooks voiced worry that the rules don't go far enough. The 
unlicensed, nonresidential grows exist in the cracks of Colorado's 
marijuana legalization amendments, and they suggested exploring a new 
kind of licensing for those that are allowed by state regulations.

"The majority of these nonlicensed grows have significant problems 
around unsafe conditions," said Ashley Kilroy, the city's executive 
director of marijuana policy, before the meeting.

Some of the city's safety concerns in these unlicensed grows: fire 
exits bolted shut and windows covered with steel sheets; unregulated 
chemicals and pesticides; the presence of mold; fire hazards such as 
plastic trash bags draped across grow lights; employees living on 
site; weapons mounted on walls.

The proposed regulations require full council approval. The earliest 
it could take a final vote on the issue is March 23.

"We need an explicit prohibition and bright line rule limiting plants 
to 36," Kilroy said. "We also have significant concerns about large 
amounts of untracked, nonlicensed marijuana and the opportunity for 
crime and diversion."

The proposed plant limit would not affect licensed grows or the 
12-plant limit already in place for residences. Caregivers still 
could grow 36 plants, enough for their five patients and themselves, 
the city says.

"Caregivers are prohibited by law now to grow collectively," Kilroy 
said. "Amendment 64 is silent on collective growing, so again, we 
need a bright line to provide clarity to our residents and to law 
enforcement and safety officials."

Jon Murray contributed to this story.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom