Jacob Bell
New Member
GARDEN GROVE, CA — Medical marijuana dispensaries must register with the city or they will not be able to operate, according to a new ordinance passed by council members Tuesday night.
The City Council voted 5-0 in favor of the ordinance, which city officials say will not only help regulate the number of pot dispensaries in the city but also ensure that they are located in commercial zones as opposed to residential or school zones.
Senior Planner Erin Webb said the ordinance will go into effect immediately and only those dispensaries that have registered with the city can be potentially eligible for a future permit. About 30 medical marijuana dispensaries are operating in Garden Grove, she said. The ordinance will also effectively deter illegal operations from sprouting in different parts of the city, she said.
Council members said they support the registration process.
"This is needed for our city to have some control over the facilities and to make sure our children and families are protected from illegal activities," said Councilwoman Dina Nguyen. "Unless we define what is legal or illegal, it will not be possible for police to enforce the law."
Longtime resident Verla Lambert asked the council how the city intends to enforce the ordinance.
"With more business licenses, the city will get more revenue," she said. "But you will also need to hire more people to enforce these codes. We've worked hard to keep this environment drug-free. If it has to be done, we better do it right."
California voters in 1996 passed Proposition 215, which legalized the use of marijuana for medical purposes through community collectives. It is still illegal to possess, cultivate or use marijuana for recreational use. Possession or use of any type of marijuana — medical or otherwise — is illegal under federal law.
It is this dichotomy in the law that has proven to be a challenge for several cities in Orange County. Garden Grove, Anaheim, Lake Forest, Santa Ana and Costa Mesa are just a few cities that have struggled to manage the location and operation of these dispensaries.
In Garden Grove, city officials said, many dispensaries have been operating under the guise of retail establishments. The City Council voted in favor of a ban on medical marijuana dispensaries in 2008.
Since then, the operations have proliferated because there has been no regulation or enforcement, officials said. City Manager Matthew Fertal said the only way to enforce the ban was litigation.
"We as a city did not want to face the expenses associated with litigation," he said. "So we did not go that route."
Other cities, such as neighbor Anaheim, have been fighting medical marijuana dispensary operators in court, Fertal said. In a move to avoid lawsuits and litigation expenses, the city is trying another tactic, which is to require pot dispensary operators to register with the city, he said.
Marijuana is the most widely used illegal drug in Garden Grove, Paul Ramirez, a member of the Garden Grove Drug Free Communities Task Force, told council members Tuesday night.
"What we need is stronger regulation and compliance with state law," he said.
Mayor Bill Dalton said he would like to see medical marijuana dispensed properly by pharmacies, but said he understands that is not going to happen.
"We have to work with what we have to try and control the situation," he said.
Councilman Steve Jones called the ordinance "work in progress, but a good start in the right direction."
As a next step, city officials say they intend to put an ordinance in place that will zone these dispensaries appropriately in a manner that they can operate only in commercial areas.
News Hawk- Jacob Ebel 420 MAGAZINE
Source: ocregister.com
Author: Deepa Bharath
Contact: Contact Us
Copyright: Orange County Register Communications
Website: Garden Grove drops pot dispensary ban, starts registrationr
The City Council voted 5-0 in favor of the ordinance, which city officials say will not only help regulate the number of pot dispensaries in the city but also ensure that they are located in commercial zones as opposed to residential or school zones.
Senior Planner Erin Webb said the ordinance will go into effect immediately and only those dispensaries that have registered with the city can be potentially eligible for a future permit. About 30 medical marijuana dispensaries are operating in Garden Grove, she said. The ordinance will also effectively deter illegal operations from sprouting in different parts of the city, she said.
Council members said they support the registration process.
"This is needed for our city to have some control over the facilities and to make sure our children and families are protected from illegal activities," said Councilwoman Dina Nguyen. "Unless we define what is legal or illegal, it will not be possible for police to enforce the law."
Longtime resident Verla Lambert asked the council how the city intends to enforce the ordinance.
"With more business licenses, the city will get more revenue," she said. "But you will also need to hire more people to enforce these codes. We've worked hard to keep this environment drug-free. If it has to be done, we better do it right."
California voters in 1996 passed Proposition 215, which legalized the use of marijuana for medical purposes through community collectives. It is still illegal to possess, cultivate or use marijuana for recreational use. Possession or use of any type of marijuana — medical or otherwise — is illegal under federal law.
It is this dichotomy in the law that has proven to be a challenge for several cities in Orange County. Garden Grove, Anaheim, Lake Forest, Santa Ana and Costa Mesa are just a few cities that have struggled to manage the location and operation of these dispensaries.
In Garden Grove, city officials said, many dispensaries have been operating under the guise of retail establishments. The City Council voted in favor of a ban on medical marijuana dispensaries in 2008.
Since then, the operations have proliferated because there has been no regulation or enforcement, officials said. City Manager Matthew Fertal said the only way to enforce the ban was litigation.
"We as a city did not want to face the expenses associated with litigation," he said. "So we did not go that route."
Other cities, such as neighbor Anaheim, have been fighting medical marijuana dispensary operators in court, Fertal said. In a move to avoid lawsuits and litigation expenses, the city is trying another tactic, which is to require pot dispensary operators to register with the city, he said.
Marijuana is the most widely used illegal drug in Garden Grove, Paul Ramirez, a member of the Garden Grove Drug Free Communities Task Force, told council members Tuesday night.
"What we need is stronger regulation and compliance with state law," he said.
Mayor Bill Dalton said he would like to see medical marijuana dispensed properly by pharmacies, but said he understands that is not going to happen.
"We have to work with what we have to try and control the situation," he said.
Councilman Steve Jones called the ordinance "work in progress, but a good start in the right direction."
As a next step, city officials say they intend to put an ordinance in place that will zone these dispensaries appropriately in a manner that they can operate only in commercial areas.
News Hawk- Jacob Ebel 420 MAGAZINE
Source: ocregister.com
Author: Deepa Bharath
Contact: Contact Us
Copyright: Orange County Register Communications
Website: Garden Grove drops pot dispensary ban, starts registrationr
