Pubdate: Fri, 12 Jun 2015
Source: Sun, The (Yuma, AZ)
Copyright: 2015 The Sun
Contact: http://www.yumasun.com/sections/opinion/submit-letters/
Website: http://www.yumasun.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1258
Author: Cesar Neyoy, Bajo El Sol

COMMISSIONERS OPPOSE MEDICAL MARIJUANA DISPENSARY IN SAN LUIS

SAN LUIS, Ariz. - Planning and zoning commissioners are recommending 
the San Luis City Council turn down a request next month to open a 
medicinal marijuana dispensary in downtown San Luis.

The planning and zoning commission voted 3-1 this week to recommend 
denial of a conditional use permit for the proposed dispensary at 708 
N. Archibald St., but commissioners did endorse a request for a 
separate permit for a cultivation site on the city's north side that 
would supply the dispensary.

In recommending denial of one permit, commissioners did not voice 
objections to the dispensary but rather to its proposed site within a 
short distance of the border.

"What concerns me is that I'm not sure that it's the best place to 
put the business," said Commissioner Daniel Bazua. "It's difficult to 
predict the pedestrian traffic during the winter season, and it's 
(located) at the only exit toward Mexico."

David Patterson, a representative of the company that would operate 
the dispensary, said that it would be hard to find a more suitable 
site, given that the dispensary would be located in the downtown 
commercial area, at a site where it would meet all requirements for the permit.

Voting with Bazua to recommend denial of the permit were 
Commissioners Javier Barraza and Jaziel Vargas, while Commissioner 
Maria Guzman cast the dissenting vote.

A fifth commissioner, Guillermina Fuentes, declared a conflict of 
interest and abstained from voting, since she's the owner of A&F Home 
Builders, which filed the request for the conditional use permit on 
behalf of the company that wants to operate the dispensary. 
Commissioners Bill Cordoba and Arturo Garcia were not present for the vote.

Patterson declined to provide the name the company or other details 
about it, pending the state's approval of a license to operate the dispensary.

By a 4-1 vote, commissioners recommended the city council grant a 
permit for the company to cultivate marijuana in a portion of an 
industrial building located at 2801 Main St., on the city's north side.

Initially, cultivation would take place in a 40-square-foot area in 
the building but would expand over two years to take up 100,000 
square feet, employing near 120 people, Patterson said.

It would become the first cultivation site in Yuma County, supplying 
the dispensary in San Luis as well as others in the Yuma area.

Both permit requests are scheduled to be presented to the city 
council for possible approval at its July 8 meeting.

The request to open a dispensary is the first to made in San Luis 
since Arizona voters approved a ballot proposition in 2010 allowing 
physician-prescribed marijuana for medicinal use.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom