Pubdate: Wed, 26 Mar 2014
Source: Colorado Springs Independent (CO)
Column: CannaBiz
Copyright: 2014 Colorado Springs Independent
Contact:  http://www.csindy.com
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1536
Pubdate: 26 mar 14
Author: Bryce Crawford

CITY COMES BACK FOR STUDIO A64, STATE REGULATORS GO TO WORK FOR MJ 
INDUSTRY, AND MORE

City aims at A64 again

After its initial attempt to shut down Studio A64 (332 E. Colorado 
Ave., studioa64.com) was defeated via appeal to the Planning 
Commission - which on Feb. 20 voted 7 to 2 in favor of the cannabis 
social club - Colorado Springs' Planning Department has appealed the 
decision to City Council, which will hear that appeal at its Tuesday, 
April 8, meeting.

"To justify its decision to grant Studio A64's appeal, the City 
Planning Commission erroneously compared Studio A64 to a 'Social 
Club' under the umbrella definition of a '[Membership] Club' ..." 
reads a formal notice of appeal dated March 3. "The City Planning 
Commission's decision to grant the appeal and allow consumption of 
marijuana without any standards is clearly against the expressed 
intent of the Zoning Code ..."

Asked if the city had ever appealed a commission decision like this 
during his time, planning director Peter Wysocki replied via email: 
"This is the first one." In response, owner KC Stark has organized a 
"RALLY TO SAVE STUDIO A64," where participants will meet at 7:45 a.m. 
the day of the hearing at his business, then march to City Hall.

Attorneys get 'OK'

The Associated Press reported Monday that the Colorado Supreme Court 
issued guidance to the state's attorneys allowing them to advise 
those in the marijuana industry, "as long as they believe those 
clients are abiding by state law."

Lawyers were formerly in a bind from a December opinion issued by the 
Colorado Bar Association that cast doubt on the ethical soundness of 
industrial marijuana work.

Revolving door at DOR

In a press release last week, Denver Relief Consulting announced that 
the former head of the Medical Marijuana Enforcement Division, Laura 
Harris, has joined the firm to assist with "regulatory compliance 
consulting." Harris is the second former Department of Revenue 
employee to jump to the private sector: Longtime DOR employee Matt 
Cook, who basically created the MMED from scratch in 2010, also now consults.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom