Jacob Bell
New Member
Operating a medical marijuana dispensary in unincorporated areas of the county is about to become a more expensive venture, under a proposal approved Tuesday by the Board of Supervisors.
The board voted unanimously to amend its medical marijuana regulations, imposing an annual fee of $11,017 and requiring fingerprinting and federal clearance for operators to become certified.
Assistant Sheriff Ed Prendergast said the proposed fee reflects the cost incurred by the Sheriff's Department to investigate, issue permits and complete compliance checks. He said the cost is in line with those in Los Angeles, San Francisco and Long Beach, which charge about $8,500, $11,500 and $14,700, respectively.
Last year, San Diego became the 10th county in the state to regulate medical marijuana collectives, restricting dispensaries to industrial zones at least 1,000 feet from homes, schools, parks and other areas.
Cities and counties have been wrestling with the issue since state voters legalized medical marijuana in 1996, but local municipalities did little to regulate them. The result has been an unwinnable situation for decision makers, Supervisor Dianne Jacob said.
"First we were criticized for not having an ordinance, now we're being criticized for having an ordinance," Jacob said. "Some want an outright ban and some want more flexibility. In the end, today probably no one's going to be happy with what we end up doing."
Supervisor Ron Roberts said the need for medical marijuana was evident, but questioned how the regulations have evolved.
"I have too many friends going through illnesses where this is a part of their therapy to say that we don't need medical marijuana," Roberts said. "We've moved what should have been a medical issue into a law enforcement issue and I think that's unfortunate."
County officials have had a total of 12 code-enforcement cases involving medical marijuana collectives, said Joe Farace of the Department of Planning and Land Use. Nine of the shops were shut down for operating illegally and the other three were referred to the County Counsel's Office, he said.
John Byron of Vista said there are two dispensaries in the unincorporated stretch between Vista and San Marcos that have been violating the ordinance. Both received cease-and-desist orders and one has an upcoming court hearing – yet they continue to operate, Byron said. He said the only way to avoid the costly situations is to enact a countywide ban.
The fact that no one has successfully opened a dispensary in unincorporated area of the county is evidence that the regulations have served as a de facto ban, said Eugene Davidovich, coordinator of Americans for Safe Access, San Diego chapter.
Vey Linville of Spring Valley said those advocating for an outright ban too often focus on land-use issues while avoiding discussions about patients who benefit from medical pot. About a year ago he was referred by doctors to the University of California, San Diego, for a double-lung transplant, Linville said. Instead, he joined a collective, bought a quarter pound of marijuana concentrates and drank them.
"I got better," Linville said. "I am still on oxygen, but I've outlived all prognoses and don't plan to get a transplant. I keep getting better."
News Hawk- GuitarMan313 420 MAGAZINE
Source: signonsandiego.com
Author: Christopher Cadelago
Contact: Contact Us
Copyright: The San Diego Union-Tribune, LLC
Website: County imposes high fee on pot dispensaries
The board voted unanimously to amend its medical marijuana regulations, imposing an annual fee of $11,017 and requiring fingerprinting and federal clearance for operators to become certified.
Assistant Sheriff Ed Prendergast said the proposed fee reflects the cost incurred by the Sheriff's Department to investigate, issue permits and complete compliance checks. He said the cost is in line with those in Los Angeles, San Francisco and Long Beach, which charge about $8,500, $11,500 and $14,700, respectively.
Last year, San Diego became the 10th county in the state to regulate medical marijuana collectives, restricting dispensaries to industrial zones at least 1,000 feet from homes, schools, parks and other areas.
Cities and counties have been wrestling with the issue since state voters legalized medical marijuana in 1996, but local municipalities did little to regulate them. The result has been an unwinnable situation for decision makers, Supervisor Dianne Jacob said.
"First we were criticized for not having an ordinance, now we're being criticized for having an ordinance," Jacob said. "Some want an outright ban and some want more flexibility. In the end, today probably no one's going to be happy with what we end up doing."
Supervisor Ron Roberts said the need for medical marijuana was evident, but questioned how the regulations have evolved.
"I have too many friends going through illnesses where this is a part of their therapy to say that we don't need medical marijuana," Roberts said. "We've moved what should have been a medical issue into a law enforcement issue and I think that's unfortunate."
County officials have had a total of 12 code-enforcement cases involving medical marijuana collectives, said Joe Farace of the Department of Planning and Land Use. Nine of the shops were shut down for operating illegally and the other three were referred to the County Counsel's Office, he said.
John Byron of Vista said there are two dispensaries in the unincorporated stretch between Vista and San Marcos that have been violating the ordinance. Both received cease-and-desist orders and one has an upcoming court hearing – yet they continue to operate, Byron said. He said the only way to avoid the costly situations is to enact a countywide ban.
The fact that no one has successfully opened a dispensary in unincorporated area of the county is evidence that the regulations have served as a de facto ban, said Eugene Davidovich, coordinator of Americans for Safe Access, San Diego chapter.
Vey Linville of Spring Valley said those advocating for an outright ban too often focus on land-use issues while avoiding discussions about patients who benefit from medical pot. About a year ago he was referred by doctors to the University of California, San Diego, for a double-lung transplant, Linville said. Instead, he joined a collective, bought a quarter pound of marijuana concentrates and drank them.
"I got better," Linville said. "I am still on oxygen, but I've outlived all prognoses and don't plan to get a transplant. I keep getting better."
News Hawk- GuitarMan313 420 MAGAZINE
Source: signonsandiego.com
Author: Christopher Cadelago
Contact: Contact Us
Copyright: The San Diego Union-Tribune, LLC
Website: County imposes high fee on pot dispensaries
