Pubdate: Sat, 06 Jun 2009 Source: Contra Costa Times (CA) Copyright: 2009 Knight Ridder Contact: http://www.contracostatimes.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/96 Author: Brent Ainsworth Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mmj.htm (Marijuana - Medicinal) WILL A SECOND POT CLUB BE COMING TO NOVATO? A man who has been trying to open a medical marijuana collective in Novato the past six months is watching intently as the city deals with the Apela Collective, a so-called pot club that opened on the south side of town in January. One month earlier, William Ringgold of the Ringgold Foundation spoke before the Novato City Council and expressed interest in opening a dispensary. His appearance there was designed to be a sign that he wants to be up front and fully legal before he finds a place to lease. "I am really concerned about how it's going to turn out with Apela because they didn't go through the steps we went through," said Ringgold, who lives in San Francisco. "It seems like they didn't go through the right channels. We've come to the city, gone directly to the City Council and told them what we're intending and what we're hoping to do. I think we have pretty strong odds (of opening). Honestly, I'm just trying to find a place that's acceptable." When Ringgold considered opening a collective along Grant Avenue in the Old Town portion of Novato, "some business owners got very concerned," said Elizabeth Dunn of the city's planning department. He has also looked in Bel Marin Keys, which is an unincorporated section of Novato. Ringgold said battling preconceived notions about marijuana is the toughest public relations job. Finding a property owner who is sympathetic to the cause of cancer patients - or is a cancer survivor himself - would be beneficial. But having politicians who understand the medicinal qualities of cannabis and are convinced that a dispensary isn't just trying to sell pot would be even better, he said. "If people see that we're going about this the right way, establishing relations with the City Council, city staff and police, being up front with our intentions, being honest on the lease agreement, then that would bring a lot of credibility to our cause," he said. - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake