A final vote on a proposed ballot initiative to ban medical marijuana dispensaries within the city is slated for Monday's Aurora City Council meeting.
The regular session begins at 7:30 p.m. July 12 at the Aurora Municipal Center, 15151 E. Alameda Parkway.
Aurora is one of the first cities in Colorado to move forward with a potential ballot initiative this November.
A new statewide law allows for ballot language that could ask voters whether they want to prohibit the operation of medical marijuana centers, grow operations, and manufacturers' licenses for medical marijuana-infused products. The city won't include language about location of dispensaries and other restrictions, according to city attorney Charlie Richardson.
"I am recommending we don't even change a comma," Richardson said at a June 12 city council meeting. "There are a lot of lawyers in the Denver metro area, and if you start wordsmith-ing the ballot question, you're going to open yourself up to a potential challenge."
City officials are trying to evade any legal challenges by strictly following the law's directives, but they could still be at risk of lawsuits if voters decide to ban dispensaries. Medical marijuana advocates have said they would challenge the constitutionality of any ban on dispensaries.
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The city's moratorium on medical marijuana dispensaries has been extended until July 1, 2011, or until the city devises regulations on dispensaries if they are approved by voters, whichever comes first.
NewsHawk: Ganjarden: 420 MAGAZINE
Source: The Aurora Sentinel
Author: SARA CASTELLANOS
Contact: The Aurora Sentinel
Copyright: 2010 The Aurora Sentinel
Website: Final vote expected on pot ban ballot measure at Aurora City Council meeting
The regular session begins at 7:30 p.m. July 12 at the Aurora Municipal Center, 15151 E. Alameda Parkway.
Aurora is one of the first cities in Colorado to move forward with a potential ballot initiative this November.
A new statewide law allows for ballot language that could ask voters whether they want to prohibit the operation of medical marijuana centers, grow operations, and manufacturers' licenses for medical marijuana-infused products. The city won't include language about location of dispensaries and other restrictions, according to city attorney Charlie Richardson.
"I am recommending we don't even change a comma," Richardson said at a June 12 city council meeting. "There are a lot of lawyers in the Denver metro area, and if you start wordsmith-ing the ballot question, you're going to open yourself up to a potential challenge."
City officials are trying to evade any legal challenges by strictly following the law's directives, but they could still be at risk of lawsuits if voters decide to ban dispensaries. Medical marijuana advocates have said they would challenge the constitutionality of any ban on dispensaries.
*
The city's moratorium on medical marijuana dispensaries has been extended until July 1, 2011, or until the city devises regulations on dispensaries if they are approved by voters, whichever comes first.
NewsHawk: Ganjarden: 420 MAGAZINE
Source: The Aurora Sentinel
Author: SARA CASTELLANOS
Contact: The Aurora Sentinel
Copyright: 2010 The Aurora Sentinel
Website: Final vote expected on pot ban ballot measure at Aurora City Council meeting
