Jim Finnel
Fallen Cannabis Warrior & Ex News Moderator
CA: For the first time under the city's new medical marijuana ordinance, Redding Police Chief Peter Hansen is recommending the suspension of a cannabis club's operating permit because he says it's been a nuisance.
Hansen wants the city to revoke the license of Family Tree Care Center Co-Op in the Mission Square shopping center on Bechelli Lane for three days.
The chief made his recommendation after two alleged verbal altercations -- one between a Redding police officer and a Family Tree employee -- occurred in March. Hansen wrote a letter to the owners of Family Tree on April 13 informing them of his decision.
Family Tree appealed Hansen's ruling Thursday during a hearing at Redding City Hall.
Redding City Manager Kurt Starman presided over the hearing and is expected to make a ruling within a week.
Thursday's hearing in the Caldwell Park Room was packed with supporters of the Family Tree Co-Op.
Typically, the hearings are closed to the public, but the city opened it up because of the community interest, Starman said.
The City Council approved the medical marijuana ordinance in November after several weeks of discussion. The regulations went into effect Jan. 1.
There are 19 cannabis collectives in Redding that have been issued an operating permit.
Hansen said he ordered extra patrol of the Mission Square center after receiving numerous complaints about Family Tree.
"I assigned two officers for a month or two to find out what is really going on," Hansen said before Thursday's hearing. "They went on a fact-finding mission but also to try and mitigate the dispute."
On March 14, a Redding police officer got into a verbal dispute with a Family Tree employee, Hansen said. That was followed by another verbal confrontation on March 29 between Randy Bright, who owns Redding Trophy Center in Mission Square, and an employee of the collective.
The run-in with Bright happened the same day Hansen visited Family Tree to issue a letter notifying the co-op that more complaints could result in a suspension or revocation of its permit.
But Alec Henderson, the San Francisco-area attorney representing Family Tree, said three businesses are waging a campaign of harassment and intimidation.
Henderson identified the businesses as Redding Trophy Center, Tina's Interior Design Resources and Image West Gallery.
The March 14 incident with Redding Police Cpl. Brian Barner occurred a day before Family Tree received its operating permit, Henderson said.
"That should not be the basis for a suspension of the permit, which did not exist on March 14," Henderson said.
Further, Family Tree co-owner Hillary Criner apologized to Barner after the altercation, and the employee who argued with Bright has been fired, Henderson said.
"I don't know what other actions Family Tree can take," Henderson said. "They have really gone to every length possible to try to be good neighbors."
What needs to happen, Henderson said, is a meeting between Family Tree, Redding police and the businesses concerned about the collective.
"We understand the chief's frustration," Henderson said before the hearing. "There has been unnecessary resources deployed to deal with the complaints of three disgruntled merchants in Mission Square."
In the letter to Family Tree, Hansen wrote that since he assigned officers to the center, "we have received 30 complaints, prompting me to personally visit the Family Tree Center."
The controversy of cannabis co-ops in Mission Square -- there are two that operate in the shopping center -- is nothing new.
In October, the battle to keep pot clubs from expanding in Mission Square took a bizarre turn when moments before a property owners meeting, someone dressed in a green Grinch costume walked into the meeting.
The Grinch, who was a Mission Square property owner, announced to fellow owners that new a cannabis shop, Hampton Collective, would open soon.
Mission Square notwithstanding, Hansen said police have had few complaints about pot clubs operating in Redding.
"No problems," Hansen said.
NewsHawk: User: 420 MAGAZINE
Source: Record Searchlight (Redding, CA)
Copyright: 2010 Record Searchlight
Contact: letters@redding.com
Website: Redding Record Searchlight: Local Redding, California News Delivered Throughout the Day.
Author: David Benda
Hansen wants the city to revoke the license of Family Tree Care Center Co-Op in the Mission Square shopping center on Bechelli Lane for three days.
The chief made his recommendation after two alleged verbal altercations -- one between a Redding police officer and a Family Tree employee -- occurred in March. Hansen wrote a letter to the owners of Family Tree on April 13 informing them of his decision.
Family Tree appealed Hansen's ruling Thursday during a hearing at Redding City Hall.
Redding City Manager Kurt Starman presided over the hearing and is expected to make a ruling within a week.
Thursday's hearing in the Caldwell Park Room was packed with supporters of the Family Tree Co-Op.
Typically, the hearings are closed to the public, but the city opened it up because of the community interest, Starman said.
The City Council approved the medical marijuana ordinance in November after several weeks of discussion. The regulations went into effect Jan. 1.
There are 19 cannabis collectives in Redding that have been issued an operating permit.
Hansen said he ordered extra patrol of the Mission Square center after receiving numerous complaints about Family Tree.
"I assigned two officers for a month or two to find out what is really going on," Hansen said before Thursday's hearing. "They went on a fact-finding mission but also to try and mitigate the dispute."
On March 14, a Redding police officer got into a verbal dispute with a Family Tree employee, Hansen said. That was followed by another verbal confrontation on March 29 between Randy Bright, who owns Redding Trophy Center in Mission Square, and an employee of the collective.
The run-in with Bright happened the same day Hansen visited Family Tree to issue a letter notifying the co-op that more complaints could result in a suspension or revocation of its permit.
But Alec Henderson, the San Francisco-area attorney representing Family Tree, said three businesses are waging a campaign of harassment and intimidation.
Henderson identified the businesses as Redding Trophy Center, Tina's Interior Design Resources and Image West Gallery.
The March 14 incident with Redding Police Cpl. Brian Barner occurred a day before Family Tree received its operating permit, Henderson said.
"That should not be the basis for a suspension of the permit, which did not exist on March 14," Henderson said.
Further, Family Tree co-owner Hillary Criner apologized to Barner after the altercation, and the employee who argued with Bright has been fired, Henderson said.
"I don't know what other actions Family Tree can take," Henderson said. "They have really gone to every length possible to try to be good neighbors."
What needs to happen, Henderson said, is a meeting between Family Tree, Redding police and the businesses concerned about the collective.
"We understand the chief's frustration," Henderson said before the hearing. "There has been unnecessary resources deployed to deal with the complaints of three disgruntled merchants in Mission Square."
In the letter to Family Tree, Hansen wrote that since he assigned officers to the center, "we have received 30 complaints, prompting me to personally visit the Family Tree Center."
The controversy of cannabis co-ops in Mission Square -- there are two that operate in the shopping center -- is nothing new.
In October, the battle to keep pot clubs from expanding in Mission Square took a bizarre turn when moments before a property owners meeting, someone dressed in a green Grinch costume walked into the meeting.
The Grinch, who was a Mission Square property owner, announced to fellow owners that new a cannabis shop, Hampton Collective, would open soon.
Mission Square notwithstanding, Hansen said police have had few complaints about pot clubs operating in Redding.
"No problems," Hansen said.
NewsHawk: User: 420 MAGAZINE
Source: Record Searchlight (Redding, CA)
Copyright: 2010 Record Searchlight
Contact: letters@redding.com
Website: Redding Record Searchlight: Local Redding, California News Delivered Throughout the Day.
Author: David Benda
