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MALIBU OKs TWO MARIJUANA DISPENSARIES

No More Medical Dispensaries Can Set Up Shop Within City Limits.

The Malibu City Council on Monday approved an ordinance limiting the number of dispensaries in Malibu to two, with PCH Collective and Green Angel getting the first opportunity to apply for conditional-use permits to be the city's two medical marijuana facilities.

There was no previous city law on marijuana dispensaries.  The council was presented with two ordinance proposals on Monday, one to ban all medical marijuana facilities within Malibu, and the other to allow three dispensaries in the city.  All council members said three would be too many.

"We have limited resources with our code enforcement and these are facilities that we are going to want to look at very closely and keep track of," City Councilmember Sharon Barovsky said.  "And with our resources, I would hate to see more than two."

The ordinance must be approved on a second reading at an Aug.  11 meeting and then will go into effect 30 days afterward.  A number of regulations were approved for the dispensaries, including buffers from schools and requirements for security.  The businesses must obtain conditional-use permits to operate.  The existing dispensaries have 90 days to apply for one without competition.

The council heard from several medical marijuana users and advocates prior to its vote.  The speakers urged the council not to choose the option to ban the facilities.  Steven Berkowitz, an attorney for PCH Collective, read a note from a neighbor praising the facility as not being a nuisance.

Kerry Fried, a medical marijuana user who has cancer, said PCH Collective is clean and safe.

"It is very safe and secure," she said.  "There are very normal people who go through there.  I think there is a huge myth around medical marijuana that needs to be dispelled."

Councilmember John Sibert spoke about two relatives with cancer who, when they were alive, could only be relieved of pain with marijuana.

Barovsky said, "I wish this were more closely regulated.  I have a feeling prescriptions are being written for fun.  But I also know there are cases of people who really need this."