Jacob Bell
New Member
A Glendale City Council majority this week pushed to extend hours for merchants to sell cannabis beyond what staff proposed. However, council wants to limit the size of cultivation facilities for growers.
Glendale is trying to enact a zoning ordinance before March 1. Otherwise, the voter-approved state proposition will allow medical marijuana anywhere in a city as long as a facility is 500 feet from a school. Qualifying patients with certain debilitating medical conditions could receive up to 2 1/2 ounces of marijuana every two weeks, equivalent to the amount of tobacco in three packs of cigarettes.
The City Council was expected to adopt the ordinance on Tuesday but tabled the issue until Feb 22 when an amendment capping the square footage of a cultivation facility would likely be introduced.
Several council members voiced concerns of a behemoth growing facility in Glendale.
Under the proposed ordinance, a grower would be required to cultivate the plant inside a permanent building in the city's light and heavy industrial areas, located near Glendale Airpark and along transportation corridors such as Grand Avenue.
Planning Director Jon Froke said the city modeled its ordinance after benchmark cities, including Phoenix, Peoria, Tempe and Mesa and he did not recall any of them setting a size limit for an offsite cultivation facility.
Most of the council's spirited debate focused on the recommended 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. operating hours for a medical marijuana dispensary.
The new state law allows for 125 medical marijuana dispensaries in Arizona, with no more than three in Glendale. The city's proposed ordinance would limit the dispensaries to general office and commercial areas such as strip malls.
"I personally didn't vote for medical marijuana," said Councilwoman Joyce Clark, who noted her dad uses medication for glaucoma. Under the new law, people with the incurable eye disease could qualify for medical marijuana use. "But this is now the law and I believe a dispensary is akin to a pharmacy. I hate to be discriminating because we don't like this type of business. I certainly don't like it but they need to exist in an environment that provides convenience to prescribed patients who are using the drug."
Clark recommended an 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. operating hours, which Councilwoman Yvonne Knaack called "reasonable."
"Ten to six is way too restrictive for any business," said Knaack, who has a close friend who suffers from a disease that forces her to avoid daylight.
Police Chief Steve Conrad said the recommended hours were based on lessons learned by police agencies in California, which has allowed for medical marijuana since 1996. He cited a report from the California Police Chiefs Association that showed adverse secondary effects surrounding dispensaries such as murder, robbery, burglary, noise and loitering.
Limiting dispensary operations to daylight hours would curb criminal acts, Conrad said.
Councilman Manny Martinez said he didn't see the recommended hours as restrictive for patients, who can pick up their medication on weekends. He said the city is facing a revenue reduction that could affect public safety and if the daylight hours could limit potential crime, he supports it.
Councilman Phil Lieberman said if patients need the medication they will find a way to get to a dispensary when it is open.
"Eight hours, seven days a week, they can find the time to buy the stash they need," he said. "I didn't vote for the bill and I'm embarrassed for the whole state that passed the bill."
Councilwoman Norma Alvarez said as a new representative she would abide with staff's recommendation.
"We are kind of treating these dispensaries as criminals," Mayor Elaine Scruggs said. "I know my dad would have been a candidate for this. Medicines can rip you up and make you bleed."
Scruggs said the crime and mayhem being anticipated when people leave dispensaries with their marijuana makes her think of Costco where people cart to their cars 50-inch plasma televisions and expensive stereo equipment.
"People anywhere could have grabbed something off the cart that is worth more than the marijuana," she said.
Scruggs, Knaack, Clark and Vice Mayor Steven Frate voted to amend the proposal, extending the hours. Lieberman, Martinez and Alvarez voted "no."
Council will take up the full ordinance on Feb. 22. They will also consider charging business-license fees for medical marijuana establishments, similar to liquor-licensing fees. The proposed fees are $150 for an application and $250 for an annual license fee.
News Hawk- GuitarMan313 420 MAGAZINE
Source: azcentral.com
Author: Cecilia Chan
Contact: Contact Us
Copyright: azcentral.com
Website: Glendale works on medical-marijuana ordinance
Glendale is trying to enact a zoning ordinance before March 1. Otherwise, the voter-approved state proposition will allow medical marijuana anywhere in a city as long as a facility is 500 feet from a school. Qualifying patients with certain debilitating medical conditions could receive up to 2 1/2 ounces of marijuana every two weeks, equivalent to the amount of tobacco in three packs of cigarettes.
The City Council was expected to adopt the ordinance on Tuesday but tabled the issue until Feb 22 when an amendment capping the square footage of a cultivation facility would likely be introduced.
Several council members voiced concerns of a behemoth growing facility in Glendale.
Under the proposed ordinance, a grower would be required to cultivate the plant inside a permanent building in the city's light and heavy industrial areas, located near Glendale Airpark and along transportation corridors such as Grand Avenue.
Planning Director Jon Froke said the city modeled its ordinance after benchmark cities, including Phoenix, Peoria, Tempe and Mesa and he did not recall any of them setting a size limit for an offsite cultivation facility.
Most of the council's spirited debate focused on the recommended 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. operating hours for a medical marijuana dispensary.
The new state law allows for 125 medical marijuana dispensaries in Arizona, with no more than three in Glendale. The city's proposed ordinance would limit the dispensaries to general office and commercial areas such as strip malls.
"I personally didn't vote for medical marijuana," said Councilwoman Joyce Clark, who noted her dad uses medication for glaucoma. Under the new law, people with the incurable eye disease could qualify for medical marijuana use. "But this is now the law and I believe a dispensary is akin to a pharmacy. I hate to be discriminating because we don't like this type of business. I certainly don't like it but they need to exist in an environment that provides convenience to prescribed patients who are using the drug."
Clark recommended an 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. operating hours, which Councilwoman Yvonne Knaack called "reasonable."
"Ten to six is way too restrictive for any business," said Knaack, who has a close friend who suffers from a disease that forces her to avoid daylight.
Police Chief Steve Conrad said the recommended hours were based on lessons learned by police agencies in California, which has allowed for medical marijuana since 1996. He cited a report from the California Police Chiefs Association that showed adverse secondary effects surrounding dispensaries such as murder, robbery, burglary, noise and loitering.
Limiting dispensary operations to daylight hours would curb criminal acts, Conrad said.
Councilman Manny Martinez said he didn't see the recommended hours as restrictive for patients, who can pick up their medication on weekends. He said the city is facing a revenue reduction that could affect public safety and if the daylight hours could limit potential crime, he supports it.
Councilman Phil Lieberman said if patients need the medication they will find a way to get to a dispensary when it is open.
"Eight hours, seven days a week, they can find the time to buy the stash they need," he said. "I didn't vote for the bill and I'm embarrassed for the whole state that passed the bill."
Councilwoman Norma Alvarez said as a new representative she would abide with staff's recommendation.
"We are kind of treating these dispensaries as criminals," Mayor Elaine Scruggs said. "I know my dad would have been a candidate for this. Medicines can rip you up and make you bleed."
Scruggs said the crime and mayhem being anticipated when people leave dispensaries with their marijuana makes her think of Costco where people cart to their cars 50-inch plasma televisions and expensive stereo equipment.
"People anywhere could have grabbed something off the cart that is worth more than the marijuana," she said.
Scruggs, Knaack, Clark and Vice Mayor Steven Frate voted to amend the proposal, extending the hours. Lieberman, Martinez and Alvarez voted "no."
Council will take up the full ordinance on Feb. 22. They will also consider charging business-license fees for medical marijuana establishments, similar to liquor-licensing fees. The proposed fees are $150 for an application and $250 for an annual license fee.
News Hawk- GuitarMan313 420 MAGAZINE
Source: azcentral.com
Author: Cecilia Chan
Contact: Contact Us
Copyright: azcentral.com
Website: Glendale works on medical-marijuana ordinance
