Christine Green
New Member
Nogales, AZ Tucson News Now - The city of Nogales is looking into adopting a new set of regulations regarding marijuana dispensaries. If they are approved, they will determine where and when marijuana selling businesses can operate.
Nogales city manager Carlos Rivera said the council will vote on the rules next month. He says the city has not developed a zoning ordinance to address marijuana dispensaries since the state's medical marijuana program went into affect in 2011.
"The commission, about six or eight months ago, decided to take it upon themselves to modify the zoning ordinance to address medical marijuana dispensaries within the city limits," said Rivera.
Rivera, who just began his role as city manager in March, says the wait time might be due to the fact that the city does not really have a lot of medical marijuana cardholders. He says at last check, there are less than 100.
"If a medical marijuana dispensary were to open I think that would be another business," said Rivera. "It's treated like any other business within the state. I think it would bring clientele and disposable income to hopefully the employees."
Rivera says there are about three applicants that want to open a marijuana dispensary in Nogales. Under the proposed regulations, dispensaries have to be in a general commercial zoning district and they can only be open from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.
They also cannot be within 1,000 feet of a church, school, library or daycare center.
"The only sensible thing to do with all of this is to legalize marijuana," said Nogales resident and local business owner Rodney Kaiser. "But I'm glad to see the medical stuff coming in. It has a lot of value."
According to the department of health services, the state is divided into what are known as Community Health Analysis Areas, also known as CHAAs, which are basically areas where dispensaries are allowed. In Santa Cruz County, those areas are Nogales and the Tubac-Patagonia district. You can find a map of CHAAs all over the state here.
The county's only medical marijuana dispensary is in Rio Rico. Long-time Nogales resident Tony Velasquez says he is fine with marijuana selling businesses coming to the city, as long as they are regulated, though he believes may be tough getting everyone on board.
"Parents might be against it and a lot of senior folks might be against it," said Velasquez. "But then again, everything is a challenge."
If the council agrees to adopt this set of rules, dispensaries also have to be in a permanent building and mobile offices, offsite deliveries and drive through sales will not be allowed.
News Moderator: Christine Green 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: City of Nogales looking to adopt rules to regulate marijuana dis - Tucson News Now
Author: Monica Grimaldo
Contact: nulmer@tucsonnewsnow.com
Photo Credit: Ernie Manrique
Website: https://www.tucsonnewsnow
Nogales city manager Carlos Rivera said the council will vote on the rules next month. He says the city has not developed a zoning ordinance to address marijuana dispensaries since the state's medical marijuana program went into affect in 2011.
"The commission, about six or eight months ago, decided to take it upon themselves to modify the zoning ordinance to address medical marijuana dispensaries within the city limits," said Rivera.
Rivera, who just began his role as city manager in March, says the wait time might be due to the fact that the city does not really have a lot of medical marijuana cardholders. He says at last check, there are less than 100.
"If a medical marijuana dispensary were to open I think that would be another business," said Rivera. "It's treated like any other business within the state. I think it would bring clientele and disposable income to hopefully the employees."
Rivera says there are about three applicants that want to open a marijuana dispensary in Nogales. Under the proposed regulations, dispensaries have to be in a general commercial zoning district and they can only be open from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.
They also cannot be within 1,000 feet of a church, school, library or daycare center.
"The only sensible thing to do with all of this is to legalize marijuana," said Nogales resident and local business owner Rodney Kaiser. "But I'm glad to see the medical stuff coming in. It has a lot of value."
According to the department of health services, the state is divided into what are known as Community Health Analysis Areas, also known as CHAAs, which are basically areas where dispensaries are allowed. In Santa Cruz County, those areas are Nogales and the Tubac-Patagonia district. You can find a map of CHAAs all over the state here.
The county's only medical marijuana dispensary is in Rio Rico. Long-time Nogales resident Tony Velasquez says he is fine with marijuana selling businesses coming to the city, as long as they are regulated, though he believes may be tough getting everyone on board.
"Parents might be against it and a lot of senior folks might be against it," said Velasquez. "But then again, everything is a challenge."
If the council agrees to adopt this set of rules, dispensaries also have to be in a permanent building and mobile offices, offsite deliveries and drive through sales will not be allowed.
News Moderator: Christine Green 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: City of Nogales looking to adopt rules to regulate marijuana dis - Tucson News Now
Author: Monica Grimaldo
Contact: nulmer@tucsonnewsnow.com
Photo Credit: Ernie Manrique
Website: https://www.tucsonnewsnow
