Christine Green
New Member
Bryce White, a bud tender at Native Roots dispensary, puts marijuana into a bag for a recreational customer on Sept. 16, 2015. Native Roots operates within a Boulder County enclave surrounded by Longmont city limits. Marijuana dispensaries are banned in Longmont city limits.
Between a lot of discussion about parliamentary procedure, the Longmont council voted 4-2 Tuesday that they wanted to hear more about retail marijuana within city limits.
The council had already extended its 11 p.m. deadline and was in the council comments section of the meeting when Councilwoman Polly Christensen said she wanted to reexamine the measure.
On May 10, after hours of public comment, the council held two votes related to marijuana. The first was to keep the citywide ban on dispensaries in place. That failed, 3-4 with Mayor Dennis Coombs and Councilwomen Joan Peck, Bonnie Finley and Christensen dissenting.
Then, there was a second successful motion to direct staff to come back with information about allowing marijuana research and testing facilities. That motion passed 6-1 with Councilman Gabe Santos dissenting.
Christensen said Tuesday she wanted a revote on the motion in order to allow staff to bring back information about recreational and medical marijuana dispensaries, in addition to marijuana research and testing facilities.
Christensen told the Times-Call after the meeting that she wanted to reconsider retail marijuana because she now thinks city staff may have underestimated the amount of potential revenue from retail marijuana.
"I have reason to believe, after talking to other people, that it could actually generate sales tax to make it worthwhile," Christensen said, adding that the council has not yet decided on a way to permanently fund affordable housing.
But things soon became complicated in her attempt to revote on the May 10 motion.
Councilman Brian Bagley, who was vocally and vehemently opposed to allowing the dispensaries into the city, said Christensen was going against procedure. She couldn't ask for a revote for a motion for which she "was on the losing side," he said.
City Attorney Eugene Mei clarified, that in his opinion, Christensen was on the "winning side" of the motion about testing and research and that the ban motion failed, so it didn't count toward this particular rule. Thus, she could ask the council to reconsider.
Santos was absent Tuesday night, having left the meeting early to relieve a babysitter because his wife was out of town.
Bagley said voting on the marijuana issue that late on Tuesday and with only six councilmembers present wasn't right.
"I think doing this without Councilmember Santos and doing this at 11:30 at night, it's bad form I think," Bagley said.
Christensen, when asked if she was concerned that she made the motion with no public comment on marijuana at Tuesday's meeting, said she was.
"But we did have public comments on this two weeks ago pretty extensively and there will be ample time for public comment when staff brings it back," Christensen said.
Assistant City Manager Shawn Lewis said staff plans to bring back the issue to council in four to six weeks.
News Moderator: Christine Green 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Longmont council seeks more information on retail marijuana within city - Boulder Daily Camera
Author: Karen Antonacci
Contact: webmaster@dailycamera.com
Photo Credit: Matthew Jonas/Staff Photographer
Website: Boulder DailyCamera.com Colorado, News, Business, Sports, Homes, Jobs, Cars and Information - Boulder Daily Camera
Between a lot of discussion about parliamentary procedure, the Longmont council voted 4-2 Tuesday that they wanted to hear more about retail marijuana within city limits.
The council had already extended its 11 p.m. deadline and was in the council comments section of the meeting when Councilwoman Polly Christensen said she wanted to reexamine the measure.
On May 10, after hours of public comment, the council held two votes related to marijuana. The first was to keep the citywide ban on dispensaries in place. That failed, 3-4 with Mayor Dennis Coombs and Councilwomen Joan Peck, Bonnie Finley and Christensen dissenting.
Then, there was a second successful motion to direct staff to come back with information about allowing marijuana research and testing facilities. That motion passed 6-1 with Councilman Gabe Santos dissenting.
Christensen said Tuesday she wanted a revote on the motion in order to allow staff to bring back information about recreational and medical marijuana dispensaries, in addition to marijuana research and testing facilities.
Christensen told the Times-Call after the meeting that she wanted to reconsider retail marijuana because she now thinks city staff may have underestimated the amount of potential revenue from retail marijuana.
"I have reason to believe, after talking to other people, that it could actually generate sales tax to make it worthwhile," Christensen said, adding that the council has not yet decided on a way to permanently fund affordable housing.
But things soon became complicated in her attempt to revote on the May 10 motion.
Councilman Brian Bagley, who was vocally and vehemently opposed to allowing the dispensaries into the city, said Christensen was going against procedure. She couldn't ask for a revote for a motion for which she "was on the losing side," he said.
City Attorney Eugene Mei clarified, that in his opinion, Christensen was on the "winning side" of the motion about testing and research and that the ban motion failed, so it didn't count toward this particular rule. Thus, she could ask the council to reconsider.
Santos was absent Tuesday night, having left the meeting early to relieve a babysitter because his wife was out of town.
Bagley said voting on the marijuana issue that late on Tuesday and with only six councilmembers present wasn't right.
"I think doing this without Councilmember Santos and doing this at 11:30 at night, it's bad form I think," Bagley said.
Christensen, when asked if she was concerned that she made the motion with no public comment on marijuana at Tuesday's meeting, said she was.
"But we did have public comments on this two weeks ago pretty extensively and there will be ample time for public comment when staff brings it back," Christensen said.
Assistant City Manager Shawn Lewis said staff plans to bring back the issue to council in four to six weeks.
News Moderator: Christine Green 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Longmont council seeks more information on retail marijuana within city - Boulder Daily Camera
Author: Karen Antonacci
Contact: webmaster@dailycamera.com
Photo Credit: Matthew Jonas/Staff Photographer
Website: Boulder DailyCamera.com Colorado, News, Business, Sports, Homes, Jobs, Cars and Information - Boulder Daily Camera
