Pubdate: Fri, 29 Nov 2013 Source: Chicago Tribune (IL) Copyright: 2013 Chicago Tribune Company Contact: http://drugsense.org/url/IuiAC7IZ Website: http://www.chicagotribune.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/82 Author: Dan Waters LAKE COUNTY TOWNS PREPARE FOR MEDICAL POT With a state medical marijuana law set to go into effect at the beginning of the year, Chicago-area communities are left trying to figure out what that will mean for them. Facing the prospect of a legal marijuana trade - something that seemed unlikely a few years ago - a number of suburbs, as well as Chicago, are working to decide how many related businesses will be allowed under their zoning codes and other local ordinances. "You can't restrict it completely from your town," said Don Hansen, deputy police chief in Mundelein. "You have to make it available to some degree." The four-year pilot program will allow doctors to prescribe up to 2.5 ounces of pot every two weeks to patients who have a debilitating medical condition. The law allows for up to 60 dispensaries and 22 cultivation centers statewide. Since Gov. Pat Quinn signed the law in August, many suburban leaders have worked to put guidelines and restrictions on their books. A plan to limit where dispensaries and growers can operate in Chicago was introduced at a City Council meeting this week. "There is a level of uncertainty," Sam Hubbard, Lake Zurich's village planner, said of the new law. "I don't know that we're worried, but it's an important issue thatwe have to plan for." Lake County towns like Mundelein and Lake Zurich have passed the issue along to their planning commissions, whose members plan to research the lawand look at how states like California and Colorado have handled medical pot. Other communities are waiting until a Lake County medical marijuana task force provides a set of regional recommendations. In Wauconda, officials are considering a 120-day moratorium on issuing permits for medical marijuana businesses, while waiting for the county guidelines. Mayor Frank Bart said he hopes the county recommendations will serve as a resource to limit the amount of time village staff has to spend on drafting zoning regulations. The county invited local municipalities to participate in the task force, said Hansen, who has been active in drafting the recommended regulations at the county level. He said about 25 local officials - including police, village administrators and planning and zoning officials - have attended task force meetings. - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom