CLEARLAKE -- The Clearlake Planning Commission continued a public hearing Tuesday regarding a draft ordinance for regulating medical marijuana dispensaries until the Jan. 19 meeting. The meeting will begin at 6 p.m. at Clearlake City Hall, 14050 Olympic Drive. The public hearing pertaining to the ordinance initiated on Dec. 1 and has been continued since as the commission continues to hear comments from the public. The commission itself has not alluded to any changes it may recommend; however, City Administrator Dale Neiman has indicated that he will be recommending a couple. Neiman said that he will be recommending that requiring proof of patient registration with the city clerk be eliminated from the regulations. He also said that he will be making another recommendation pertaining to the proposed limit on patient numbers. He said he will be seeking information from the three dispensaries currently operating to determine supply and demand needs and projected growth rates. [continues 487 words]
CLEARLAKE - The Clearlake Planning Commission will meet at 6 p.m. today at Clearlake City Hall, 14050 Olympic Drive in Clearlake. The agenda includes three public hearing items including consideration of a draft ordinance regulating medical marijuana dispensaries. Tuesday's agenda will begin with a public hearing for considering the abandonment of a portion of right-of-way located at 15885 Dam Road Extension. Applicant is Superior Acquisitions. The second public hearing scheduled concerns considering the approval of a mitigated declaration of environmental impact and a use permit application for a proposed mobile home park, location being 5755 Old Highway 53. Applicant is James Carroll. [continues 274 words]
Lake County Board of Supervisors took no action Tuesday on a draft ordinance pertaining to the regulation of medical marijuana distribution and cultivation. Instead, the board conceded to begin work to refine the draft document with consideration of public comments offered throughout the 2.5 hour discussion of the issue. Among the primary concerns the public had with the draft document was the addressing of both cultivation and dispensary distribution in one ordinance. The majority of those speaking to the issue were adamantly opposed to regulating both medical marijuana activities via a single ordinance. [continues 724 words]
CLEARLAKE-The Clearlake City Council directed staff Thursday to prepare draft guidelines for regulating medical marijuana dispensaries. According to City Administrator Dale Neiman, the process could take as long as four months. The process will include public hearings before the Planning Commission as well as the council, which will provide the public further opportunity to comment prior to official adoption and implementation. The council discussed several aspects associated with establishing dispensary regulations, which were presented as recommendations of a committee that was formed in January to address the issue. The committee included the participation of Clearlake Chief of Police Allan McClain, Councilmember Joyce Overton, who was absent from Thursday's meeting, and others. [continues 588 words]
CLEARLAKE - The Clearlake City Council was still at a loss for a decision regarding whether or not to allow medical marijuana operations following a lengthy discussion at its regular meeting Thursday. The council rejected three motions before agreeing to continue the item and form a subcommittee to analyze options to proceed with establishing regulations or to prohibit such operations entirely. The council has stalled on its decision for a year and nine months now, ever since a moratorium was implemented in April 2007 prohibiting the issuance of new business licenses for the propose of providing medical marijuana. That moratorium has since expired. [continues 324 words]
CLEARLAKE - The Clearlake City Council will hear a recommendation today to prohibit medical marijuana operations in the city and to close the three existing medical marijuana dispensaries on grounds that they are in violation of the city's zoning regulations. The recommendation is being brought forth by City Administrator Dale Neiman and Chief of Police Alan McClain. The issue is the fourth item of business on the city council's agenda following public comment and consent calendar. The meeting will begin at 6 p.m. The city's legal representative is expected to be present. [continues 589 words]
CLEARLAKE -- In light of an expired moratorium prohibiting the issuing of new business licenses for medical marijuana dispensaries, the Clearlake City Council has chosen to fall back on a city ordinance that has brought into question the legality of the section. Liz Byrd, owner of Lakeside Herbal Solutions, was recently issued a business license only to have that license revoked. Byrd and her attorney William McPike, who specializes in medical marijuana defense, addressed the council at its Dec. 11 meeting appealing the revocation of the license. After a lengthy discussion that lasted more than hour, the council still made no decision and continued the item. [continues 817 words]
The Clearlake City Council continues to take a backseat in the state's medical marijuana movement. The council voted, April 12, to extend its moratorium on the issuance of new business licenses for medical marijuana dispensaries within the city, while it waits for decisions to be made at the state level. The moratorium has been in effect in the City of Clearlake since its original adoption on April 13, 2006. It is now entertaining its third extension. The Clearlake City Council has been consistent in its refusal to take any action that may lead to regulating the dispense of medical marijuana within the city. "The state of the law remains unresolved with regard to the legality of medical marijuana," City Attorney Thomas Gibson states in his report to the council. "The issue is the subject of litigation in other parts of the sate, and that litigation is continuing. Until the matter is resolved staff recommends the extension of the moratorium for so long as allowed." [continues 273 words]
CLEARLAKE -- The Clearlake City Council passed an ordinance at its Thursday night meeting regulating the sale of products containing pseudoephedrine, a primary ingredient in the production of methamphetamine. The ordinance establishes criteria for over-the-counter sales of medications such as cold medicine containing the drug, which city leaders believe will help in the fight against illegal drugs. On Sept. 13, the county's board of supervisors passed a similar ordinance, the first of its kind in the state. The ordinance calls for behind-the-counter retail of products containing pseudoephedrine. It also imposes identification and logging requirements for customers purchasing the products. [continues 437 words]
