Katelyn Baker
Well-Known Member
Upland - Elected officials have backtracked from their effort for an all-out marijuana ban in the city - for now.
Late Monday night, the council voted 4-1 to rescind an action it took just two weeks ago which would have placed a ballot measure in the November election calling for a total ban of all marijuana-related uses in the city.
Although Mayor Ray Musser opposed the move, the council agreed to come back with an improved ballot measure at its next meeting.
Council members Carol Timm and Glenn Bozar, who first pushed for the vote at the June 27 meeting, had a change of heart and asked to withdraw the measure from the ballot.
Timm acknowledged it was a mistake to bring forward a measure without knowing all the facts and impacts of the ban.
"We don't want to take the vote of the people away but we want to protect our city and our citizens," she said.
Introducing a third marijuana-related measure in Upland would be too confusing for the voters, Bozar added. He was referring to the other two measures headed for the ballot: a statewide effort to legalize recreational marijuana use in the General Election, and a local measure that would let voters decide if three medical marijuana dispensaries should be allowed to operate legally in the city.
The ordinance backed by Timm aimed to close a loophole in how the city regulates medical marijuana.
While Upland prohibits the sale and delivery of medical marijuana, its current regulations fail to address the issue of cultivating medical marijuana within city limits. If the statewide initiative passes, the city's ban - which does not ban recreational marijuana - would still be in place.
Council members Debbie Stone and Gino Filippi were the two on the dais who voted against the original ballot measure calling for a total ban.
Stone said she was miffed by how it all went down, adding she believes the proposed ballot measure reviewed June 27 "was voted on with emotions and not the facts."
Although she voted against the total ban, Stone said she was upset that the council was now considering removing that option from the public. As she has stated in the past, Stone said she believes a ban should not be decided by the council but by the voters.
"You got your vote and you got your total ban. Now you want to jerk the carpet out from underneath from the residents and letting them vote," Stone said. "I don't know get it. I don't know why you guys were so hellbent at putting that ban on it and now you're pulling it off."
Timm said the council didn't receive the language on the ballot measure until just before the council meeting and didn't get to thoroughly study it until after the vote.
"The verbiage on this ordinance is not clear," she said. "I really think we need to study this ban before we make the decision."
Upland council has until Aug. 12 to present a new ballot measure to the San Bernardino County Elections Office of the Registrar of Voters.
Three Potential Pot Measures On Uplanders' Ballots
Statewide ban: The Adult Use of Marijuana Act would allow Californians 21 and older to possess up to an ounce of marijuana, up to 8 grams of concentrated cannabis and up to six plants. The act would ban marijuana from being consumed in public places or smoking marijuana any place where tobacco is prohibited, and within 1,000 feet of a school or youth center while children are present.
- California Cannabis Coalition: The ballot measure proposes to overturn the city's ban on marijuana dispensaries to permit three to operate in Upland. Deliveries would also be allowed. The initiative would require dispensaries to pay$75,000 in annual licensing and inspection fees. It would restrict the dispensaries to the northwest area of the city from Foothill Boulevard to the south, Airport Drive to the east and Monte Vista to the west. Portions of Cable Airport is to the north of the zone.
- Upland's proposed total ban: The city banned medical marijuana dispensaries and the delivery of medical marijuana several ago but does not regulate recreational marijuana uses. The total ban aims to close the loophole in case the statewide initiative is approved.
The discussion about a total ban began months ago when the City Council initially thought the statewide ballot would require cities to institute a ban through a vote, otherwise the recreational marijuana would be permitted. Ultimately that was not a requirement, giving the council the opportunity to pass a total ban through an ordinance.
An identical ordinance has been reviewed by the Planning Commission but was continued to a future next meeting. It is then expected to come to the council for approval.
News Moderator: Katelyn Baker 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Does Upland Want A Total Ban On Pot? Yes And No
Author: Liset Marquez
Contact: 909-987-6397
Photo Credit: None Found
Website: Daily Bulletin
Late Monday night, the council voted 4-1 to rescind an action it took just two weeks ago which would have placed a ballot measure in the November election calling for a total ban of all marijuana-related uses in the city.
Although Mayor Ray Musser opposed the move, the council agreed to come back with an improved ballot measure at its next meeting.
Council members Carol Timm and Glenn Bozar, who first pushed for the vote at the June 27 meeting, had a change of heart and asked to withdraw the measure from the ballot.
Timm acknowledged it was a mistake to bring forward a measure without knowing all the facts and impacts of the ban.
"We don't want to take the vote of the people away but we want to protect our city and our citizens," she said.
Introducing a third marijuana-related measure in Upland would be too confusing for the voters, Bozar added. He was referring to the other two measures headed for the ballot: a statewide effort to legalize recreational marijuana use in the General Election, and a local measure that would let voters decide if three medical marijuana dispensaries should be allowed to operate legally in the city.
The ordinance backed by Timm aimed to close a loophole in how the city regulates medical marijuana.
While Upland prohibits the sale and delivery of medical marijuana, its current regulations fail to address the issue of cultivating medical marijuana within city limits. If the statewide initiative passes, the city's ban - which does not ban recreational marijuana - would still be in place.
Council members Debbie Stone and Gino Filippi were the two on the dais who voted against the original ballot measure calling for a total ban.
Stone said she was miffed by how it all went down, adding she believes the proposed ballot measure reviewed June 27 "was voted on with emotions and not the facts."
Although she voted against the total ban, Stone said she was upset that the council was now considering removing that option from the public. As she has stated in the past, Stone said she believes a ban should not be decided by the council but by the voters.
"You got your vote and you got your total ban. Now you want to jerk the carpet out from underneath from the residents and letting them vote," Stone said. "I don't know get it. I don't know why you guys were so hellbent at putting that ban on it and now you're pulling it off."
Timm said the council didn't receive the language on the ballot measure until just before the council meeting and didn't get to thoroughly study it until after the vote.
"The verbiage on this ordinance is not clear," she said. "I really think we need to study this ban before we make the decision."
Upland council has until Aug. 12 to present a new ballot measure to the San Bernardino County Elections Office of the Registrar of Voters.
Three Potential Pot Measures On Uplanders' Ballots
Statewide ban: The Adult Use of Marijuana Act would allow Californians 21 and older to possess up to an ounce of marijuana, up to 8 grams of concentrated cannabis and up to six plants. The act would ban marijuana from being consumed in public places or smoking marijuana any place where tobacco is prohibited, and within 1,000 feet of a school or youth center while children are present.
- California Cannabis Coalition: The ballot measure proposes to overturn the city's ban on marijuana dispensaries to permit three to operate in Upland. Deliveries would also be allowed. The initiative would require dispensaries to pay$75,000 in annual licensing and inspection fees. It would restrict the dispensaries to the northwest area of the city from Foothill Boulevard to the south, Airport Drive to the east and Monte Vista to the west. Portions of Cable Airport is to the north of the zone.
- Upland's proposed total ban: The city banned medical marijuana dispensaries and the delivery of medical marijuana several ago but does not regulate recreational marijuana uses. The total ban aims to close the loophole in case the statewide initiative is approved.
The discussion about a total ban began months ago when the City Council initially thought the statewide ballot would require cities to institute a ban through a vote, otherwise the recreational marijuana would be permitted. Ultimately that was not a requirement, giving the council the opportunity to pass a total ban through an ordinance.
An identical ordinance has been reviewed by the Planning Commission but was continued to a future next meeting. It is then expected to come to the council for approval.
News Moderator: Katelyn Baker 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Does Upland Want A Total Ban On Pot? Yes And No
Author: Liset Marquez
Contact: 909-987-6397
Photo Credit: None Found
Website: Daily Bulletin
