Pubdate: Tue, 28 Jul 2015
Source: Union, The (Grass Valley, CA)
Copyright: 2015 The Union
Contact:  http://www.theunion.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/957
Author: Ivan Natividad

GRASS VALLEY CITY COUNCIL TO TALK MEDICAL MARIJUANA CULTIVATION

The Grass Valley City Council will meet at 7 p.m. Tuesday to consider 
options for regulating the cultivation of medical marijuana citywide.

"(The council) is requesting an update on marijuana laws in 
California and the U.S.," City Manager Bob Richardson said. "And just 
be given an overview to consider whether they want to keep things the 
same, do they want to make changes, and what are the directions they 
would like to head in, or if they are good at where they are at today."

According to city documents, the city has no explicit rules regarding 
governing the outdoor cultivation of medical marijuana, though over 
recent years local police have received complaints and identified 
numerous legal and illegal marijuana cultivation sites.

In 1996, the state adopted Proposition 215, the Compassionate Use 
Act, that provides legal defense for medical marijuana users.

Statewide, more than 40 cities and 25 counties have adopted 
ordinances that either regulate or ban medical marijuana cultivation.

On Tuesday, Grass Valley Police Department staff will give a 
presentation on four options that offer the regulation of outdoor 
medical marijuana cultivation.

Ordinances that will be discussed Tuesday include a total ban on 
cultivation, or to limit cultivation inside residential facilities 
with approved restrictions. The council will also discuss potentially 
waiting for the outcome of the current state legislation regarding 
marijuana, or to consider the proposed 2016 California initiative 
that would legalize recreational marijuana for adults.

"Those are some potential options," Richardson said. "Really what's 
happening is they're being given a legal update on the state of the 
legal environment regarding marijuana. There will be no decisions 
made (Tuesday), if they would like to make any, staff would be coming 
back to them at a future date."

In other business, the council will hold the second reading of an 
ordinance that will provide a three-year time extension on all 
planning entitlements for previously approved projects citywide. The 
initiative was approved by council members on July 15.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom