Title
Staff Report for New FIRST READING AND PASS TO PRINT of the Medical Marijuana Dispensary Ordinance
Body
SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Staff requests that the City Council approve for first reading and pass to print the medical marijuana dispensary ordinance.
BACKGROUND
Since the expiration of the moratorium on the issuance of land use entitlements related to uses involving medical marijuana dispensaries expired on October 1, 2012 the City Council has reviewed, taken public comment, held several meetings and provided comments upon a draft ordinance that would allow the operation of and impose regulations upon medical marijuana dispensaries in the City.
At the City Council's direction, staff presents for a new first reading an ordinance regulating medical marijuana dispensaries' establishment and operations. At the City Council's direction the following amendments were made by motion on the first reading to pass to print the ordinance after its initial first reading: The ordinance will take effect thirty days after its adoption at second reading; one dispensary permit shall be issued; and high definition cameras or other technology that provides high resolution video and recording capability shall be implemented as part of a dispensary's security operations. At the City Council's meeting of November 18, 2013, the City Council provided direction to include an additional locational restriction, to wit, that a dispensary cannot locate 1,000 feet from facilities for religious worship and incidental religious education. This was a substantive change to the proposed ordinance, which necessitates this new first reading of the proposed ordinance.
Two public presentations on the necessary amendments to the City's Zoning Code -- one before the Board of Zoning Adjustments for review and comment, and one before the Planning Commission for review and a recommendation -- will be scheduled. Those two presentations will include a review of the ad...
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