Pubdate: Tue, 2 Jun 2009
Source: Reporter, The (Vacaville, CA)
Copyright: 2009 The Reporter
Contact:  http://www.thereporter.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/472
Cited: Board of Supervisors http://www.co.solano.ca.us/depts/bos/default.asp
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/topic/dispensaries
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/topic/Solano+County
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mmj.htm (Marijuana - Medicinal)

YET ANOTHER MORATORIUM: PLANNING WOULD NIP THIS

Once again, Vacaville's leaders have reacted to the prospect of a 
business coming to the city by imposing a moratorium.

Last Tuesday, the City Council enacted a temporary prohibition on 
medical marijuana dispensaries, saying staff needed time to research 
and analyze the issue, consult with the city attorney and prepare a 
study. A dispensary, the council was told, would conflict with the 
city's general plan and zoning ordinances.

If this follows the typical pattern, Vacaville residents should 
expect that, in about six weeks, the council will extend the 
moratorium by another 22 months, on the pretext of giving staff more 
time to look into it.

Of course, it may not be a pretext. Staff, after all, is still 
working on rules for motels and stores that sell adult materials -- 
two types of businesses that moratoriums were imposed upon last year.

And Vacaville still doesn't allow grocery stores larger than 20,000 
square feet to be built in the city, thanks to a moratorium imposed 
in 2004 and extended for three years in 2007.

Supermarkets were banned because of concerns over too many large 
abandoned buildings. The other stores have been barred because of 
council's apparent distaste for the types of business they represent: 
motels and hotels because new ones put pressure on older ones to 
become housing for poor people. Adult stores because, well, because 
- -- and ditto for medical marijuana dispensaries.

The rush to ban dispensaries came after an unnamed person inquired 
about opening one. Considering that California voters -- including a 
majority in Solano County -- made medical marijuana legal more than a 
dozen years ago, it's hard to believe the city had not anticipated 
and planned for that type of business coming in.

Of course, the council may simply be suffering from the same denial 
that has caused the Solano County Board of Supervisors to refuse to 
issue identification cards to patients whose doctors prescribe 
marijuana. The county is being sued for refusing to enact the 2003 
state law requiring counties to issue the cards. Last month, the 
state Supreme Court refused to take up an identical case filed 
against San Diego County.

Solano County should quit wasting its resources in court and start 
issuing the cards. Vacaville should quit wasting time and enact rules 
for where dispensaries can be located.

California voters have said they wish to support the medical use of 
marijuana. The state has provided a way to tell the legitimate users 
from the illegitimate ones. The California Supreme Court has backed 
them both up. Now it's time for Vacaville and Solano County to get on board. 
- ---
MAP posted-by: Richard Lake