Jim Finnel
Fallen Cannabis Warrior & Ex News Moderator
Ca. - While Peninsula cities take turns staving off medical marijuana dispensaries with urgency ordinances and temporary moratoriums, the city of San Carlos is opting to mimic San Mateo County by regulating them instead.
The San Carlos City Council on Monday will consider amending its city code to require licensing and regulate how the collectives cultivate and distribute the marijuana. The decision will have little financial implications for the city short of an increase in staff time by the police department which will manage the registration and permit process.
The city has no current dispensary applications which is why officials and staff are opting to craft regulations rather than push an emergency halt, said City Manager Mark Weiss.
“We opted to go through this process because there isn’t anything looming. There’s no rush,” Weiss said.
However, Weiss said the city could later enact a moratorium if it deems it necessary, much as South San Francisco did after passing its regulations. The city is currently looking at its zoning ordinances and the Planning Commission later this year will look at bringing them into the newly adopted general plan.
San Carlos is the latest city in the county to weigh in on the controversial issue which has resulted in a patchwork of bans and regulations.
California voters legalized medical marijuana in 1996. Senate Bill 420 clarified the law in 2004. In the time since, counties and cities have struggled with abiding by the law while keeping the collectives in check. According to Redwood City data, 50 cities have temporarily banned them through a moratorium like it is considering, 100 have banned them outright and approximately 30 cities allow them with regulations.
San Bruno, South San Francisco and Redwood City have moratoriums and the county passed a slate of regulations for dispensaries but already-established locations have shut down because they fell within the 1,000-foot restriction around schools. The cities of Colma and San Mateo have also adopted ordinances regulating the collectives and Millbrae will consider prohibiting them at a meeting next week.
San Carlos’ proposed ordinance is largely modeled after the county’s other ordinance with some changes. The proposal would only allow the collectives in specific areas away from schools, parks and residential areas. Marijuana could not be sold or dispensed for cash or profit.
Collectives in the unincorporated area must have a county license and all must maintain a list of people receiving care and have a centrally monitored alarm system. Windows must have bars and no marijuana advertising or edibles are allowed.
Before receiving a license, the collective must be shown to not adversely impact the community’s economic welfare and its exterior appearance must be compatible with adjacent structures.
If the City Council approves the ordinance, it becomes effective in 30 days.
NewsHawk: User: 420 Magazine - Cannabis Culture News & Reviews
Source: smdailyjournal.com
Author: Michelle Durand
Copyright: 2010 Daily Journal
Contact: San Mateo Daily Journal
Website: San Mateo Daily Journal
The San Carlos City Council on Monday will consider amending its city code to require licensing and regulate how the collectives cultivate and distribute the marijuana. The decision will have little financial implications for the city short of an increase in staff time by the police department which will manage the registration and permit process.
The city has no current dispensary applications which is why officials and staff are opting to craft regulations rather than push an emergency halt, said City Manager Mark Weiss.
“We opted to go through this process because there isn’t anything looming. There’s no rush,” Weiss said.
However, Weiss said the city could later enact a moratorium if it deems it necessary, much as South San Francisco did after passing its regulations. The city is currently looking at its zoning ordinances and the Planning Commission later this year will look at bringing them into the newly adopted general plan.
San Carlos is the latest city in the county to weigh in on the controversial issue which has resulted in a patchwork of bans and regulations.
California voters legalized medical marijuana in 1996. Senate Bill 420 clarified the law in 2004. In the time since, counties and cities have struggled with abiding by the law while keeping the collectives in check. According to Redwood City data, 50 cities have temporarily banned them through a moratorium like it is considering, 100 have banned them outright and approximately 30 cities allow them with regulations.
San Bruno, South San Francisco and Redwood City have moratoriums and the county passed a slate of regulations for dispensaries but already-established locations have shut down because they fell within the 1,000-foot restriction around schools. The cities of Colma and San Mateo have also adopted ordinances regulating the collectives and Millbrae will consider prohibiting them at a meeting next week.
San Carlos’ proposed ordinance is largely modeled after the county’s other ordinance with some changes. The proposal would only allow the collectives in specific areas away from schools, parks and residential areas. Marijuana could not be sold or dispensed for cash or profit.
Collectives in the unincorporated area must have a county license and all must maintain a list of people receiving care and have a centrally monitored alarm system. Windows must have bars and no marijuana advertising or edibles are allowed.
Before receiving a license, the collective must be shown to not adversely impact the community’s economic welfare and its exterior appearance must be compatible with adjacent structures.
If the City Council approves the ordinance, it becomes effective in 30 days.
NewsHawk: User: 420 Magazine - Cannabis Culture News & Reviews
Source: smdailyjournal.com
Author: Michelle Durand
Copyright: 2010 Daily Journal
Contact: San Mateo Daily Journal
Website: San Mateo Daily Journal
