Jim Finnel
Fallen Cannabis Warrior & Ex News Moderator
Martinez - The Planning Commission will tackle the contentious topic of medical cannabis dispensaries tonight; specifically, whether or not the City of Martinez should proceed in its allowance of a dispensary in the next few months.
While an ordinance allowing dispensaries has been on the books since 2000, it wasn’t until late 2009 that several potential operators came to the City requesting permission to open for business.
Since then, the Council’s Public Safety Subcommittee – comprised of Council members Mike Menesini and Lara DeLaney – has met several times to rewrite the prohibitively restrictive 2000 ordinance into a document more closely aligned with today’s dispensary realities.
At an early morning meeting on Friday, the Subcommittee again tweaked a replacement ordinance, written by City Attorney Jeffrey Walter, by decreasing the distance between any dispensary and youth-oriented facilities, neighboring schools, churches, public parks and day care facilities.
The 2000 ordinance stipulated that a 1000-foot buffer was required, but during the many revision meetings, City staff stated that this rule precluded almost all viable locations, effectively rendering the ordinance moot.
Menesini and DeLaney recommended reducing the buffer zone to 600 feet from youth-oriented locations and 300 feet from all residentially-zoned parcels.
The cities of Santa Rosa and Sebastopol allow dispensaries within 500 feet of schools, parks and churches, while Albany mandates 1000.
On Friday, the Subcommittee also placed a cap of $200 on all cash transactions in an effort to reduce the dispensary becoming a target for robberies.
While the Planning Commission is slated to debate one potential operator’s request to convert the C.K. Motors property on Alhambra Avenue to a dispensary facility on February 8, tonight’s meeting will focus on the question of amending current municipal code.
Included in the revised law up for approval is the establishment of a licensing process rather than allowing dispensaries via conditional use permits. It would be up to the City Manager and Chief of Police to vet the applications, conduct background checks on applicants and make a selection.
The new ordinance also stipulates allowing only one operator for year one, and up to three thereafter, once the City has a chance to monitor the success or failure of the first operator, as recommended by DeLaney.
As he had in the past, Menesini reminded those in attendance at Friday’s meeting that 64 percent of Martinez voters approved decriminalizing medical cannabis 13 years ago upon the passage of Prop. 215.
NewsHawk: Jim Behr: 420 MAGAZINE
Source: martinezgazette.com
Author: Greta Mart
Copyright: 2011 Gibson Publications
Contact: gretanews@gmail.com
Website: PC takes on cannabis clubs | The Martinez News-Gazette
While an ordinance allowing dispensaries has been on the books since 2000, it wasn’t until late 2009 that several potential operators came to the City requesting permission to open for business.
Since then, the Council’s Public Safety Subcommittee – comprised of Council members Mike Menesini and Lara DeLaney – has met several times to rewrite the prohibitively restrictive 2000 ordinance into a document more closely aligned with today’s dispensary realities.
At an early morning meeting on Friday, the Subcommittee again tweaked a replacement ordinance, written by City Attorney Jeffrey Walter, by decreasing the distance between any dispensary and youth-oriented facilities, neighboring schools, churches, public parks and day care facilities.
The 2000 ordinance stipulated that a 1000-foot buffer was required, but during the many revision meetings, City staff stated that this rule precluded almost all viable locations, effectively rendering the ordinance moot.
Menesini and DeLaney recommended reducing the buffer zone to 600 feet from youth-oriented locations and 300 feet from all residentially-zoned parcels.
The cities of Santa Rosa and Sebastopol allow dispensaries within 500 feet of schools, parks and churches, while Albany mandates 1000.
On Friday, the Subcommittee also placed a cap of $200 on all cash transactions in an effort to reduce the dispensary becoming a target for robberies.
While the Planning Commission is slated to debate one potential operator’s request to convert the C.K. Motors property on Alhambra Avenue to a dispensary facility on February 8, tonight’s meeting will focus on the question of amending current municipal code.
Included in the revised law up for approval is the establishment of a licensing process rather than allowing dispensaries via conditional use permits. It would be up to the City Manager and Chief of Police to vet the applications, conduct background checks on applicants and make a selection.
The new ordinance also stipulates allowing only one operator for year one, and up to three thereafter, once the City has a chance to monitor the success or failure of the first operator, as recommended by DeLaney.
As he had in the past, Menesini reminded those in attendance at Friday’s meeting that 64 percent of Martinez voters approved decriminalizing medical cannabis 13 years ago upon the passage of Prop. 215.
NewsHawk: Jim Behr: 420 MAGAZINE
Source: martinezgazette.com
Author: Greta Mart
Copyright: 2011 Gibson Publications
Contact: gretanews@gmail.com
Website: PC takes on cannabis clubs | The Martinez News-Gazette
