Pubdate: Tue, 20 Mar 2012
Source: Desert Sun, The (Palm Springs, CA)
Copyright: 2012 The Desert Sun
Contact: http://local2.thedesertsun.com/mailer/opinionwrap.php
Website: http://www.mydesert.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1112
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Author: Mariecar Mendoza

THIRD MEDICAL MARIJUANA FACILITY PERMIT AVAILABLE IN PALM SPRINGS

PALM SPRINGS - One of the city's three cannabis permits is up for grabs.

The Palm Springs City Council is expected to discuss Wednesday what 
to do with a medical marijuana collective/cooperative operating 
permit recently made available when the city revoked it two weeks ago 
from CannaHelp, which is operated by local medical marijuana activist 
Stacy Hochanadel.

The collective ceased operations in October as a result of 
Hochanadel's issues with his landlord. In February, after being 
inoperative for more than 90 days, City Manager David Ready decided 
to rescind the permit.

The permit was officially revoked March 7, when the council 
unanimously voted to uphold Ready's decision.

CannaHelp is not prohibited from reapplying for the permit. 
Hochanadel told The Desert Sun on Monday that he definitely plans to reapply.

The council approved a third operating permit for a medical marijuana 
collective/cooperative in Palm Springs in 2010, a year after 
launching the program.

The two remaining permits are held by Desert Organic Solutions and 
Organic Solutions of the Desert.

The city staff sent a letter and email to all nine medical cannabis 
collectives/cooperatives that originally applied for a permit in 
2009, letting them know that a third permit is now available.

Applicants must reply by today to indicate whether they are still 
interested in a permit, said Craig Ewing, the city's director of 
planning services.

"We started this process years ago, and we started it for one reason: 
so that the people who needed medical marijuana, the people who were 
really suffering from cancer or HIV/AIDS or whatever the need be, 
that it would be available to them," said Mayor Pro Tem Ginny Foat, 
who has been a strong advocate for the medical cannabis businesses. 
"We made a lot of concessions. ... This was all set up so that we 
could really serve the people who needed medical marijuana."

On Wednesday, the council will mull whether it wants to limit the 
process to the original applicants who vied for a permit in 2009 or 
open the process up to new applicants as well.

The council may also decide against reissuing the permit at all.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom