CORNING With almost no discussion, the City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to extend its interim ordinance prohibiting medical marijuana dispensaries, collectives and cooperatives within city limits.
The ordinance will be extended for one year starting Aug. 6, which is when the last extension ends and give the council time to consider several factors, said Planning Director John Stoufer.
There is a new player in the game, Stoufer said.
A Nov. 2 ballot measure, the Regulate, Control and Tax Cannabis Act of 2010, would legalize the possession of marijuana for recreational use, he said. What effect this will have, I can't tell you, Stoufer said. There are so many uncertainties at this point.
One of those uncertainties is how the government will handle marijuana, since it will still be illegal on the federal level, he said.
Stoufer recommended the council wait for the outcome of Qualified Patients vs. City of Anaheim, which is suppose to be heard in August, Stoufer said.
The council had very little input from the public, with only two people speaking in favor of extending the ban and one against.
I'm really concerned, said Pastor Ken Killinger.
We're lacking one teacher tonight because someone was under the influence of marijuana.
Killinger was referring to fifth-grade Olive View Elementary teacher Carrie Holdiman, who was killed July 22 in Chico when struck by an SUV driven by Jimmy Flores described by a California Highway Patrol officer as giving off a strong odor of marijuana.
Killinger reminded the council that he had given them a study by the Teamsters union that said driving under the influence of marijuana was the same as driving under the influence of alcohol.
I have the newspaper from July 23 here where it says Corning teacher hit, killed,' said Corning resident Lois Cosby. There was a loss that day. A loss to her family, Chico, her neighborhood and our community. She was vital to the enrichment of our community.
Flores, 25, of Chico, was arrested on suspicion of felony driving under he influence of marijuana and vehicular manslaughter.
The same day an article below says it would be hard to measure the impact of pot legalization, Cosby said. It's not hard to measure for me.
Cosby asked the council and voters who will vote on the Nov. 2 measure to consider this loss when voting. The latter article mentioned the economic boost legalization would give, but questions if there would be any positive effects due to increased use and crime.
I was a bookkeeper for a long time, Cosby said. California, Corning or business owners might look at the profits, but what about the loss? If my loved one was lost, would all the profits in the world make a difference? Is it OK to put the value of money over the value of life?
Ken Prather, of Corning's Tehama Herbal Collective Inc., responded to Cosby and Killinger's statements.
The loss of our school teacher is tragic, Prather said. We all felt it and mourn. It takes people to be responsible for our actions. I don't condone what everyone does under the influence of marijuana, medical or not. The same goes for alcohol or prescription drugs.
Prather was the lone voice speaking out against the extension of the ban and asked the council to consider halting the litigation between THC and the city over zoning violations.
Prather said the ban was enacted as an emergency ordinance because of the predicted impact his collective was expected to have, including crime increases.
We have over 2,000 members, Prather said. None of those predictions have come true.
Prather said he recently achieved guardianship of two of his grandchildren, which included having a national background check and several interviews for both he and his wife, Kathy, despite it being common knowledge that THC is in litigation with the city.
In the last 11 months, have you as a council resolved anything on zoning or had any research done?, Prather said.
Your predictions have proved false. Please reconsider all actions, drop the citations and look at the information given by THC.
Prather said the only reason there was no zoning for a collective was that there had been no changes in city zoning since 1972.
A lot has changed, Prather said. We ask council to direct staff to work on zoning in compliance with Prop. 215, SB 420 and the attorney general's guidelines.
Mayor Gary Strack said he didn't want to get into an argument with Prather, but he had been doing research.
John Stoufer has provided me with at least four inches of paperwork to look at, Strack said. From you alone I have well over half an inch.
Strack said the council has not worked on the ordinance as a body since it can only do that in public meetings, however, the council members have all been researching material and he has been meeting with Stoufer several times a week.
Don't tell us we're not doing our homework because we are, said Councilwoman Toni Parkins.
I'd rather wait for a decision on Anaheim.
Prather said there were a lot of people in the city the council was not listening to on either marijuana related ordinance. An ordinance dealing with cultivation was passed in February.
I listen to many people, but the majority don't believe the way you do, Parkins said. They don't want you down on main street.
Tuesday's vote is the final time the temporary ordinance can be extended. After that, it would have to be made permanent or struck down.
The council meets the second and fourth Tuesdays of the month at City Hall, 794 Third St. Meeting minutes and agendas are available on Official City of Corning, Tehama County, California Online Information Center.
NewsHawk: Ganjarden: 420 MAGAZINE
Source: Red Bluff Daily News
Author: JULIE ZEEB
Copyright: 2010 Red Bluff Daily News
* Thanks to MedicalNeed for submitting this article
The ordinance will be extended for one year starting Aug. 6, which is when the last extension ends and give the council time to consider several factors, said Planning Director John Stoufer.
There is a new player in the game, Stoufer said.
A Nov. 2 ballot measure, the Regulate, Control and Tax Cannabis Act of 2010, would legalize the possession of marijuana for recreational use, he said. What effect this will have, I can't tell you, Stoufer said. There are so many uncertainties at this point.
One of those uncertainties is how the government will handle marijuana, since it will still be illegal on the federal level, he said.
Stoufer recommended the council wait for the outcome of Qualified Patients vs. City of Anaheim, which is suppose to be heard in August, Stoufer said.
The council had very little input from the public, with only two people speaking in favor of extending the ban and one against.
I'm really concerned, said Pastor Ken Killinger.
We're lacking one teacher tonight because someone was under the influence of marijuana.
Killinger was referring to fifth-grade Olive View Elementary teacher Carrie Holdiman, who was killed July 22 in Chico when struck by an SUV driven by Jimmy Flores described by a California Highway Patrol officer as giving off a strong odor of marijuana.
Killinger reminded the council that he had given them a study by the Teamsters union that said driving under the influence of marijuana was the same as driving under the influence of alcohol.
I have the newspaper from July 23 here where it says Corning teacher hit, killed,' said Corning resident Lois Cosby. There was a loss that day. A loss to her family, Chico, her neighborhood and our community. She was vital to the enrichment of our community.
Flores, 25, of Chico, was arrested on suspicion of felony driving under he influence of marijuana and vehicular manslaughter.
The same day an article below says it would be hard to measure the impact of pot legalization, Cosby said. It's not hard to measure for me.
Cosby asked the council and voters who will vote on the Nov. 2 measure to consider this loss when voting. The latter article mentioned the economic boost legalization would give, but questions if there would be any positive effects due to increased use and crime.
I was a bookkeeper for a long time, Cosby said. California, Corning or business owners might look at the profits, but what about the loss? If my loved one was lost, would all the profits in the world make a difference? Is it OK to put the value of money over the value of life?
Ken Prather, of Corning's Tehama Herbal Collective Inc., responded to Cosby and Killinger's statements.
The loss of our school teacher is tragic, Prather said. We all felt it and mourn. It takes people to be responsible for our actions. I don't condone what everyone does under the influence of marijuana, medical or not. The same goes for alcohol or prescription drugs.
Prather was the lone voice speaking out against the extension of the ban and asked the council to consider halting the litigation between THC and the city over zoning violations.
Prather said the ban was enacted as an emergency ordinance because of the predicted impact his collective was expected to have, including crime increases.
We have over 2,000 members, Prather said. None of those predictions have come true.
Prather said he recently achieved guardianship of two of his grandchildren, which included having a national background check and several interviews for both he and his wife, Kathy, despite it being common knowledge that THC is in litigation with the city.
In the last 11 months, have you as a council resolved anything on zoning or had any research done?, Prather said.
Your predictions have proved false. Please reconsider all actions, drop the citations and look at the information given by THC.
Prather said the only reason there was no zoning for a collective was that there had been no changes in city zoning since 1972.
A lot has changed, Prather said. We ask council to direct staff to work on zoning in compliance with Prop. 215, SB 420 and the attorney general's guidelines.
Mayor Gary Strack said he didn't want to get into an argument with Prather, but he had been doing research.
John Stoufer has provided me with at least four inches of paperwork to look at, Strack said. From you alone I have well over half an inch.
Strack said the council has not worked on the ordinance as a body since it can only do that in public meetings, however, the council members have all been researching material and he has been meeting with Stoufer several times a week.
Don't tell us we're not doing our homework because we are, said Councilwoman Toni Parkins.
I'd rather wait for a decision on Anaheim.
Prather said there were a lot of people in the city the council was not listening to on either marijuana related ordinance. An ordinance dealing with cultivation was passed in February.
I listen to many people, but the majority don't believe the way you do, Parkins said. They don't want you down on main street.
Tuesday's vote is the final time the temporary ordinance can be extended. After that, it would have to be made permanent or struck down.
The council meets the second and fourth Tuesdays of the month at City Hall, 794 Third St. Meeting minutes and agendas are available on Official City of Corning, Tehama County, California Online Information Center.
NewsHawk: Ganjarden: 420 MAGAZINE
Source: Red Bluff Daily News
Author: JULIE ZEEB
Copyright: 2010 Red Bluff Daily News
* Thanks to MedicalNeed for submitting this article
