Pubdate: Mon, 24 Dec 2012
Source: Denver Post (CO)
Copyright: 2012 The Denver Post Corp
Contact:  http://www.denverpost.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/122
Author: Carlos Illescas, The Denver Post

DOUGLAS COUNTY BANS POT BUSINESSES

County Becomes First in State to Bar Such Operations After Passage of
Amendment 64

Just because marijuana is now legal in Colorado doesn't mean you'll be
able to buy it everywhere.

Communities are taking action against commerical marijuana operations
a year before it will likely be available to adults.

Douglas County is the first county in the state to place an all-out
ban on commercial pot operations. That ban takes effect Thursday. Weld
County is also on pace to have a ban against them next month. Other
communities, such as Englewood, have issued moratoriums on the opening
of recreational-marijuana businesses.

However, Rachel Allen, staff attorney for the Colorado Municipal
League, doesn't anticipate many municipalities following in Douglas
County's footsteps, at least not until after July 1. That's when the
Colorado Department of Revenue is supposed to have rules in place on
how the industry will be regulated. No shops are expected to open at
least until January 2014.

"We're not seeing a whole lot of action yet," Allen said. "We're sort
of waiting for July 1 to see where we are."

Amendment 64, passed by Colorado voters in November, makes it legal
for anyone in the state age 21 or older to possess up to an ounce of
marijuana. However, the measure also permits local government agencies
to ban marijuana stores.

In Douglas County, people will still be allowed to grow up to six
marijuana plants, as the measure allows, but pot stores and commercial
growing operations will not be permitted. The ban has nothing to do
with personal use or enforcement, officials said.

Douglas County commissioners passed the ban after the majority of
voters there four times voted against marijuana measures in the past
12 years, including Amendment 64, which lost in the county 54 percent
to 46 percent.

"These four votes made it easier for the county commissioners to act
in the public interest," said Douglas County spokeswoman Wendy Holmes.

Holmes said the board took into consideration the financial benefits
of allowing commercial pot shops but decided in favor of the ban anyway.

"That's a revenue source that we're not interested in having here,"
Holmes said.

Englewood enacted its moratorium because it wasn't well-prepared when
medical marijuana was approved. Parker's ban on pot shops, approved
this month, took effect Sunday. 
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