Pubdate: Wed, 02 Feb 2011 Source: Oroville Mercury-Register (CA) Copyright: 2011 Oroville Mercury Register Contact: http://www.orovillemr.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2277 Author: Mary Weston Bookmark: http://mapinc.org/topic/Dispensaries COUNCIL ADOPTS URGENCY POT BAN ORDINANCE OROVILLE - The City Council unanimously adopted an "urgency" zoning ordinance at a public hearing Tuesday night that will place a 45-day moratorium on marijuana dispensaries in commercial and industrial districts. Councilors thanked staff for taking a proactive approach and bringing forth the resolution to address marijuana dispensaries. "I think we need to be ahead of the curve on this," said Councilor Gordon Andoe. One person at the public hearing spoke on the issue. Ramo Ferretti said the city had the right idea to take initiative on a moratorium on pot dispensaries. "I like the philosophy that you like to nip things in the bud," Ferretti said. However, Ferretti said the city should just move forward and put a moratorium on marijuana dispensaries by not allowing them in any zone. "Oroville doesn't need a pot dispensary," he said. "We have enough trouble." City Attorney Scott Huber said the city cannot put a permanent moratorium on dispensaries until the city has studied the impacts of dispensaries specifically to Oroville. What the resolution does is prevent any dispensaries from opening while the city studies the issue, Huber said. Now, the issue will go to the Planning Commission to study the impacts dispensaries would have in the city. The commission will then eventually recommend a plan to the City Council. Huber said the plan could be recommendations of where the dispensaries are allowed - or even that they should not be allowed at all. After the 45-day period, the city can extend the moratorium two times while it studies the impacts and comes up with a plan to address dispensaries. The first extension can be as long as 10 months and 15 days. The second extension can cover a period as long as a year, giving the city almost two years to address marijuana dispensaries. The moratorium had to pass by a four-fifths vote, which Huber calculated was six votes. Since the council adopted the resolution for a moratorium, the city must prepare a report 10 days prior to the expiration of the ordinance describing the conditions that led to the adoption of the ordinance. The council found the ordinance is necessary to protect the public health, safety and the welfare of the community. The moratorium, once adopted, goes into effect immediately. "We believe a proactive approach is a much better approach than waiting on the whims of others," Huber said. - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom