Jacob Bell
New Member
About 180 medical marijuana dispensaries are scattered throughout the City of San Diego, and if some have their way, nearly all of them could be in jeopardy of shutting down.
The San Diego Planning Commission will discuss and vote Thursday on a recommendation to the City Council that would outline in what capacity medical marijuana dispensaries will be allowed to operate in the City of San Diego.
The topic is the 10th agenda item in the 9 a.m. meeting, which will be held in the council chambers of the City Administration Building.
Among the most threatening of the ordinance's provisions to be voted upon, marijuana dispensaries would be required to exist outside 1,000 feet from "schools, playgrounds, libraries, child care facilities, youth facilities, churches, parks, and other dispensaries," according to the meeting agenda.
Scott Chipman, chairman of San Diegans for Safe Neighborhoods, said he would suspect "almost none" of the city's roughly 180 dispensaries would be in location compliance.
Making compliance more difficult, colleges and universities will be discussed Thursday as a potential add-on to the 1,000-foot radius recommendation. Since July 2010, Point Loma Nazarene, San Diego State and the University of San Diego have separately requested their campuses be included.
The proposed ordinance would provide another significant location constraint, limiting medical marijuana dispensaries to five different zones: Industrial Zone (IL-1-3), Industrial Small Lot zone (IS-1-1), and three Community Commercial zones allowing Watchkeepers Quarters as the only permitted residential use (CC-2-1, CC-2-2 and CC-2-3), according to the agenda.
"Currently, all of the dispensaries that are operating in San Diego are operating illegally because there are no zones in which they're allowed," said Stephen Hill, senior policy advisor to councilman Todd Gloria. "In the absence of regulations, dispensaries are opening everywhere and it's causing confusion. This will provide some clarity."
According to San Diegans for Safe Neighborhoods, the number of known marijuana retailers in the City of San Diego has increased by 700 percent in the past 18 months.
Along with the addition of the radius and five zones, other guidelines to be discussed in the possible recommendation include requiring dispensaries to have a Process 4 Conditional Use Permit.
The permit would also impose "requirements and restrictions regarding signage, security, lighting and hours of operation," according to the agenda.
Dr. John Bombaro, pastor at Grace Lutheran Church in North Park, says the local dispensary boom is responsible for the crime rise in his area. Six different medical marijuana dispensaries are located within 100 feet of his church.
"A year ago we had none and now he have six (dispensaries)," Bombaro said. "Now we have problems and it affects all of us. ...Now is the time for us to get control of this thing, which has already become immediately out of control in our neighborhood."
Directly across the street from the Grace Lutheran Church, four dispensaries operate in the same professional office building. Steve Greenwald, the building's landlord, said there has been "minimal" crime in the area with the exclusion of the occasional "bad apple."
"All we can do is be a good neighbor," Greenwald said. "I try to be the best neighbor we can."
Benny Vincent is a manager at Horizon Medical Cannabis in San Diego. He said he believes the 1,000-foot radius should be reduced to 500 or 700 feet and that more than five zones should be allowed for medical marijuana dispensaries to operate.
"I'm going to go check it out (Thursday) and see what happens because it is a big deal," Vincent said. "Hopefully it's a common sense move on their part and they meet half way, that way there's no room for a complaint on our side. I don't think that's going to happen. I think they're going to go full force, and it's going to be a struggle."
News Hawk- GuitarMan313 420 MAGAZINE
Source: nbcsandiego.com
Author: Michael Gehlken
Contact: NBC San Diego
Copyright: © 2011 NBC Universal, Inc
Website: City Pot Dispensaries Face Snuffing | NBC San Diego
The San Diego Planning Commission will discuss and vote Thursday on a recommendation to the City Council that would outline in what capacity medical marijuana dispensaries will be allowed to operate in the City of San Diego.
The topic is the 10th agenda item in the 9 a.m. meeting, which will be held in the council chambers of the City Administration Building.
Among the most threatening of the ordinance's provisions to be voted upon, marijuana dispensaries would be required to exist outside 1,000 feet from "schools, playgrounds, libraries, child care facilities, youth facilities, churches, parks, and other dispensaries," according to the meeting agenda.
Scott Chipman, chairman of San Diegans for Safe Neighborhoods, said he would suspect "almost none" of the city's roughly 180 dispensaries would be in location compliance.
Making compliance more difficult, colleges and universities will be discussed Thursday as a potential add-on to the 1,000-foot radius recommendation. Since July 2010, Point Loma Nazarene, San Diego State and the University of San Diego have separately requested their campuses be included.
The proposed ordinance would provide another significant location constraint, limiting medical marijuana dispensaries to five different zones: Industrial Zone (IL-1-3), Industrial Small Lot zone (IS-1-1), and three Community Commercial zones allowing Watchkeepers Quarters as the only permitted residential use (CC-2-1, CC-2-2 and CC-2-3), according to the agenda.
"Currently, all of the dispensaries that are operating in San Diego are operating illegally because there are no zones in which they're allowed," said Stephen Hill, senior policy advisor to councilman Todd Gloria. "In the absence of regulations, dispensaries are opening everywhere and it's causing confusion. This will provide some clarity."
According to San Diegans for Safe Neighborhoods, the number of known marijuana retailers in the City of San Diego has increased by 700 percent in the past 18 months.
Along with the addition of the radius and five zones, other guidelines to be discussed in the possible recommendation include requiring dispensaries to have a Process 4 Conditional Use Permit.
The permit would also impose "requirements and restrictions regarding signage, security, lighting and hours of operation," according to the agenda.
Dr. John Bombaro, pastor at Grace Lutheran Church in North Park, says the local dispensary boom is responsible for the crime rise in his area. Six different medical marijuana dispensaries are located within 100 feet of his church.
"A year ago we had none and now he have six (dispensaries)," Bombaro said. "Now we have problems and it affects all of us. ...Now is the time for us to get control of this thing, which has already become immediately out of control in our neighborhood."
Directly across the street from the Grace Lutheran Church, four dispensaries operate in the same professional office building. Steve Greenwald, the building's landlord, said there has been "minimal" crime in the area with the exclusion of the occasional "bad apple."
"All we can do is be a good neighbor," Greenwald said. "I try to be the best neighbor we can."
Benny Vincent is a manager at Horizon Medical Cannabis in San Diego. He said he believes the 1,000-foot radius should be reduced to 500 or 700 feet and that more than five zones should be allowed for medical marijuana dispensaries to operate.
"I'm going to go check it out (Thursday) and see what happens because it is a big deal," Vincent said. "Hopefully it's a common sense move on their part and they meet half way, that way there's no room for a complaint on our side. I don't think that's going to happen. I think they're going to go full force, and it's going to be a struggle."
News Hawk- GuitarMan313 420 MAGAZINE
Source: nbcsandiego.com
Author: Michael Gehlken
Contact: NBC San Diego
Copyright: © 2011 NBC Universal, Inc
Website: City Pot Dispensaries Face Snuffing | NBC San Diego
