The Great Falls Planning and Zoning Commission will send a proposed medical marijuana ordinance to the City Commission without a recommendation.
The board couldn't come to a majority recommendation on any of its three options: prohibit medical marijuana growers and dispensaries from operating within the city limits, extend a 90-day moratorium on the businesses for up to one year to allow time for additional research or pass an ordinance that would limit where marijuana growers and dispensaries could be located within the city.
The City Commission will hear the issue at its May 4 meeting and may make a final decision on June 1.
After the city received its first two applications for medical marijuana caregiver businesses, the City Commission voted to implement a 90-day moratorium on the businesses to allow time for the City Planning and Community Development Department to develop zoning regulations, department director Mike Haynes said.
Those proposed regulations, which the City Commission could approve, would allow the cultivation of medical marijuana to take place in industrial zones, while dispensaries could operate in some commercial, business, mixed-use and industrial zones.
Before taking public comment on the issue Tuesday, Planning Board Chairman John Harding reminded the large audience at the meeting that the board was considering the issue from a zoning standpoint.
"This is not about the pros and cons of medical marijuana use," he said.
Several caregivers and other medical marijuana advocates spoke in favor of the proposed zoning ordinance, although a few proposed changes to it.
Having medical marijuana dispensaries out in the open will help law-abiding citizens obtain their medication legally, Daniel Yabui told the board. He added that he believes doing so won't increase recreational drug use.
"Recreational drug users know where to find pot," he said.
Patients who may have never used marijuana before need a place to get it, he said.
Other people argued that the ordinance goes too far.
News Hawk: Warbux 420 MAGAZINE ® - Medical Marijuana Publication & Social Networking
Source: greatfallstribune.com
Author: Erin Madison
Contact: greatfallstribune.com | Great Falls Tribune | Great Falls news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Great Falls, Montana
Copyright: 2010 The Great Falls Tribune
Website: Medical marijuana ordinance proposal deadlocks Great Falls panel | greatfallstribune.com | Great Falls Tribune
The board couldn't come to a majority recommendation on any of its three options: prohibit medical marijuana growers and dispensaries from operating within the city limits, extend a 90-day moratorium on the businesses for up to one year to allow time for additional research or pass an ordinance that would limit where marijuana growers and dispensaries could be located within the city.
The City Commission will hear the issue at its May 4 meeting and may make a final decision on June 1.
After the city received its first two applications for medical marijuana caregiver businesses, the City Commission voted to implement a 90-day moratorium on the businesses to allow time for the City Planning and Community Development Department to develop zoning regulations, department director Mike Haynes said.
Those proposed regulations, which the City Commission could approve, would allow the cultivation of medical marijuana to take place in industrial zones, while dispensaries could operate in some commercial, business, mixed-use and industrial zones.
Before taking public comment on the issue Tuesday, Planning Board Chairman John Harding reminded the large audience at the meeting that the board was considering the issue from a zoning standpoint.
"This is not about the pros and cons of medical marijuana use," he said.
Several caregivers and other medical marijuana advocates spoke in favor of the proposed zoning ordinance, although a few proposed changes to it.
Having medical marijuana dispensaries out in the open will help law-abiding citizens obtain their medication legally, Daniel Yabui told the board. He added that he believes doing so won't increase recreational drug use.
"Recreational drug users know where to find pot," he said.
Patients who may have never used marijuana before need a place to get it, he said.
Other people argued that the ordinance goes too far.
News Hawk: Warbux 420 MAGAZINE ® - Medical Marijuana Publication & Social Networking
Source: greatfallstribune.com
Author: Erin Madison
Contact: greatfallstribune.com | Great Falls Tribune | Great Falls news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Great Falls, Montana
Copyright: 2010 The Great Falls Tribune
Website: Medical marijuana ordinance proposal deadlocks Great Falls panel | greatfallstribune.com | Great Falls Tribune
