Jacob Bell
New Member
MARTINEZ -- The City Council on Wednesday may pull the plug on a medical marijuana ordinance that has rankled the community and inspired talk of a recall effort.
In an opinion piece in Tuesday's Martinez News Gazette newspaper, Councilman Mike Menesini argued that voters should decide whether Martinez should allow medical marijuana dispensaries, because the issue has, at the last minute, generated so much opposition and controversy.
And with the next general election scheduled for November 2012, Mayor Rob Schroder said Tuesday the idea may die here.
As members of the Public Safety Committee, Menesini and Councilwoman Lara DeLaney spent more than a year crafting the new rules, with help from medical marijuana advocates. They could not be reached for comment Tuesday afternoon.
"I met with him last week and it was a surprise to me that this is where he was going," Schroder said.
Schroder said he once believed residents weren't interested in the issue, since he only received a half dozen e-mails over the course of a year. Likewise, he was surprised when only a handful of people showed up when the Planning Commission reviewed the ordinance in January.
But in the two weeks since the council heard two hours of public testimony on the merits of ordinance, Schroder said he has received hundreds of e-mails opposing it.
"I tend to agree an issue such as this that seems to be so volatile, similar to redevelopment, at some point the voters really should decide this," said Schroder. He seemed prepared to approve the ordinance, with a few changes, after the Feb. 16 council meeting.
Although he said the November 2012 election would probably be the best time to put the medical marijuana ordinance on the ballot, since turnout should be high for the presidential election, Schroder conceded, "it's likely that we're going to just drop the issue."
Since Martinez spent an estimated $75,000 in staff time developing the ordinance, Schroder suggested that in the future, subcommittees may be required to give regular progress report to the full council.
"We really need a consensus on an item before we start expending funds over a certain level," he said.
Martinez has had an ordinance on the books allowing medical marijuana dispensaries since 2000, but has never approved one. Schroder said he doesn't favor repealing the ordinance since that might open the city to a rash of unregulated dispensaries opening in town.
Collective Wellness, an Oakland-based lab that tests medical marijuana, withdrew its application under the existing ordinance to open a dispensary in the CK Motors building on Alhambra Avenue. Schroder said city staffers have determined that site probably does not satisfy the restrictions in the existing ordinance.
News Hawk- GuitarMan313 420 MAGAZINE
Source: mercurynews.com
Author: Lisa P. White
Contact: Contact Us
Copyright: San Jose Mercury News
Website: Martinez may drop medical marijuana ordinance Wednesday
In an opinion piece in Tuesday's Martinez News Gazette newspaper, Councilman Mike Menesini argued that voters should decide whether Martinez should allow medical marijuana dispensaries, because the issue has, at the last minute, generated so much opposition and controversy.
And with the next general election scheduled for November 2012, Mayor Rob Schroder said Tuesday the idea may die here.
As members of the Public Safety Committee, Menesini and Councilwoman Lara DeLaney spent more than a year crafting the new rules, with help from medical marijuana advocates. They could not be reached for comment Tuesday afternoon.
"I met with him last week and it was a surprise to me that this is where he was going," Schroder said.
Schroder said he once believed residents weren't interested in the issue, since he only received a half dozen e-mails over the course of a year. Likewise, he was surprised when only a handful of people showed up when the Planning Commission reviewed the ordinance in January.
But in the two weeks since the council heard two hours of public testimony on the merits of ordinance, Schroder said he has received hundreds of e-mails opposing it.
"I tend to agree an issue such as this that seems to be so volatile, similar to redevelopment, at some point the voters really should decide this," said Schroder. He seemed prepared to approve the ordinance, with a few changes, after the Feb. 16 council meeting.
Although he said the November 2012 election would probably be the best time to put the medical marijuana ordinance on the ballot, since turnout should be high for the presidential election, Schroder conceded, "it's likely that we're going to just drop the issue."
Since Martinez spent an estimated $75,000 in staff time developing the ordinance, Schroder suggested that in the future, subcommittees may be required to give regular progress report to the full council.
"We really need a consensus on an item before we start expending funds over a certain level," he said.
Martinez has had an ordinance on the books allowing medical marijuana dispensaries since 2000, but has never approved one. Schroder said he doesn't favor repealing the ordinance since that might open the city to a rash of unregulated dispensaries opening in town.
Collective Wellness, an Oakland-based lab that tests medical marijuana, withdrew its application under the existing ordinance to open a dispensary in the CK Motors building on Alhambra Avenue. Schroder said city staffers have determined that site probably does not satisfy the restrictions in the existing ordinance.
News Hawk- GuitarMan313 420 MAGAZINE
Source: mercurynews.com
Author: Lisa P. White
Contact: Contact Us
Copyright: San Jose Mercury News
Website: Martinez may drop medical marijuana ordinance Wednesday
