Jacob Bell
New Member
More than 50 people, including many Martinez residents and some business owners who hope to bring cannabis dispensaries to the city, approached the podium Wednesday night at a public hearing in City Hall that lasted more than four hours. Yet after 15 months of crafting an amended ordinance and hours of public comment, the City Council decided to postpone a vote until more amendments–addressing safety and litigation against the city–could be added.
Despite the lack of a deciding vote on Wednesday, a majority of council members said they would vote for the amended ordinance and a licensed dispensary at a future meeting.
The proposed amendment to the current cannabis ordinance was dissected by a diverse cross-section of people at Wednesday's meeting, while council members listened to arguments for and against medical marijuana dispensaries in Martinez.
"I feel very passionately that we have to look at this differently," said Martinez resident Lynn Bond. "We're still thinking of it as a drug. But this is for medical purposes. Maybe we need to educate ourselves."
Although an ordinance has been in place since 2000, no dispensaries have ever been approved. The new ordinance would impose a licensing system that would give the city more control over the facilities, including the ability to revoke licenses and offer them on a trial basis.
"It's much stricter, frankly, than the old ordinance," said Councilmember Michael Menesini.
Marijuana users, parents, teachers, the religious, the young and the old weighed in on the issue. They included 15-year-old Nathan Jensen.
"People my age are using this drug and able to obtain cards," Jensen told the council. "Is this the sort of thing that we want in Martinez?"
In the end, the council reflected both sides of the issue, with council members Janet Kennedy and Mark Ross indicating their opposition to a dispensary in Martinez. Council members Menesini, Lara Delaney and Mayor Robert Schroder all suggested that they would vote to approve the ordinance, and a medical marijuana facility, pending the changes.
The ordinance would allow a maximum of three dispensaries in Martinez, which would have to be at least 600 feet away from any youth-oriented facility, including schools, and 300 feet from residential areas.
Amendments now being considered by the council include recommendations by the planning commission to extend background checks to FBI level, increase age limits for patients and employees to 21, prohibit dispensaries downtown and on Alhambra Avenue, and allow a period of public notice for decisions regarding licensing. After discussing possible litigation issues with the city attorney, the council added an expansion of the indemnification agreement.
"I think it's necessary that the city makes it very clear that these licensees are taking on 100 percent of the risk," said Schroder.
Among the most moving testimonies was that of Martinez resident and senior citizen James Dean. Dean approached the podium slowly, with cane in hand, and explained to the council that as a retired police officer he had struggled with the idea of using marijuana for medicinal purposes. Now, it offers him release from the pain of multiple sclerosis. As a medicinal user, however, Dean said he still feels stigmatized.
"Why do I feel like I'm doing something dirty, nasty or wrong?" said Dean.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, resident Sal Perez told the council of his years of using marijuana recreationally and how it led him on to harder drugs, such as crack and heroin. "Your kids and your grandkids will get it," warned Perez. "Just remember that."
Others spoke of problems with prescription medication and the inconvenience for to caregivers and patients who have to travel to Oakland or Berkeley for medical marijuana. Still others raised the question of potential burdens marijuana dispensaries may place on the already strained police department.
Some residents expressed anger that many of the public speakers represented businesses seeking to profit from dispensaries in Martinez. Representatives from Green Leaf Collective spoke of the benefits of natural medicine to patients, and Dr. Robert Martin of Collective Wellness California asked the public to "leave the ignorance behind." Martin currently has a pending application to open a dispensary in Martinez.
All sides agreed that there should be compassion for those in suffering and pain. One resident stated that "the hysteria is unnecessary" and "patients don't deserve to be treated like lepers in their communities."
News Hawk- GuitarMan313 420 MAGAZINE
Source: martinez.patch.com
Author: Emily Henry
Contact: About Us
Copyright: Patch
Website: Marijuana Debate Gets Heated at City Hall
Despite the lack of a deciding vote on Wednesday, a majority of council members said they would vote for the amended ordinance and a licensed dispensary at a future meeting.
The proposed amendment to the current cannabis ordinance was dissected by a diverse cross-section of people at Wednesday's meeting, while council members listened to arguments for and against medical marijuana dispensaries in Martinez.
"I feel very passionately that we have to look at this differently," said Martinez resident Lynn Bond. "We're still thinking of it as a drug. But this is for medical purposes. Maybe we need to educate ourselves."
Although an ordinance has been in place since 2000, no dispensaries have ever been approved. The new ordinance would impose a licensing system that would give the city more control over the facilities, including the ability to revoke licenses and offer them on a trial basis.
"It's much stricter, frankly, than the old ordinance," said Councilmember Michael Menesini.
Marijuana users, parents, teachers, the religious, the young and the old weighed in on the issue. They included 15-year-old Nathan Jensen.
"People my age are using this drug and able to obtain cards," Jensen told the council. "Is this the sort of thing that we want in Martinez?"
In the end, the council reflected both sides of the issue, with council members Janet Kennedy and Mark Ross indicating their opposition to a dispensary in Martinez. Council members Menesini, Lara Delaney and Mayor Robert Schroder all suggested that they would vote to approve the ordinance, and a medical marijuana facility, pending the changes.
The ordinance would allow a maximum of three dispensaries in Martinez, which would have to be at least 600 feet away from any youth-oriented facility, including schools, and 300 feet from residential areas.
Amendments now being considered by the council include recommendations by the planning commission to extend background checks to FBI level, increase age limits for patients and employees to 21, prohibit dispensaries downtown and on Alhambra Avenue, and allow a period of public notice for decisions regarding licensing. After discussing possible litigation issues with the city attorney, the council added an expansion of the indemnification agreement.
"I think it's necessary that the city makes it very clear that these licensees are taking on 100 percent of the risk," said Schroder.
Among the most moving testimonies was that of Martinez resident and senior citizen James Dean. Dean approached the podium slowly, with cane in hand, and explained to the council that as a retired police officer he had struggled with the idea of using marijuana for medicinal purposes. Now, it offers him release from the pain of multiple sclerosis. As a medicinal user, however, Dean said he still feels stigmatized.
"Why do I feel like I'm doing something dirty, nasty or wrong?" said Dean.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, resident Sal Perez told the council of his years of using marijuana recreationally and how it led him on to harder drugs, such as crack and heroin. "Your kids and your grandkids will get it," warned Perez. "Just remember that."
Others spoke of problems with prescription medication and the inconvenience for to caregivers and patients who have to travel to Oakland or Berkeley for medical marijuana. Still others raised the question of potential burdens marijuana dispensaries may place on the already strained police department.
Some residents expressed anger that many of the public speakers represented businesses seeking to profit from dispensaries in Martinez. Representatives from Green Leaf Collective spoke of the benefits of natural medicine to patients, and Dr. Robert Martin of Collective Wellness California asked the public to "leave the ignorance behind." Martin currently has a pending application to open a dispensary in Martinez.
All sides agreed that there should be compassion for those in suffering and pain. One resident stated that "the hysteria is unnecessary" and "patients don't deserve to be treated like lepers in their communities."
News Hawk- GuitarMan313 420 MAGAZINE
Source: martinez.patch.com
Author: Emily Henry
Contact: About Us
Copyright: Patch
Website: Marijuana Debate Gets Heated at City Hall
