Pubdate: Mon, 29 Jun 2015
Source: Sun, The (Yuma, AZ)
Copyright: 2015 The Sun
Contact: http://www.yumasun.com/sections/opinion/submit-letters/
Website: http://www.yumasun.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1258
Author: Cesar Neyoy, Bajo El Sol

SAN LUIS COMMISSION TO RECONSIDER MEDICAL MARIJUANA DISPENSARY

SAN LUIS, Ariz. - The Planning and Zoning Commission will meet 
Tuesday once again to decide whether to recommend the San Luis City 
Council approve a conditional permit for the installation of a 
medical marijuana dispensary.

The planning and zoning commission voted 3-1 June 9 to recommend 
denial of a conditional use permit for the proposed dispensary at 708 
N. Archibald St. However, that vote did not follow the rule that 
requires at least a four-person majority of the seven commissioners.

At the June 9 meeting, Commissioner Guillermina Fuentes declared a 
conflict of interest and abstained from voting, since she's the owner 
of A&F Home Builders, which filed the request for the conditional use 
permit on behalf of the company that wants to operate the dispensary. 
Commissioners Bill Cordoba and Arturo Garcia were not present for the vote.

The special hearing will be June 30 at 7 p.m. in the boardroom of the 
council, located at 1090 East Union Street.

The proposed clinic, the only one approved for San Luis by the 
Department of State Health Services, would sell marijuana for medical 
use to those qualified patients with doctors' prescriptions. The 
program was approved at the polls by state voters in November 2010.

The refusal of the commissioners to recommend the installation of the 
clinic was due to the proposed location and concerns about the lack 
of parking area.

David Patterson, a representative of the company that would operate 
the dispensary, said earlier this month that it would be hard to find 
a more suitable site, given that the dispensary would be located in 
the downtown commercial area, at a site where it would meet all 
requirements for the permit.

The recommendation issued by the Planning and Zoning Commission will 
be turned over to the San Luis City Council, which will then make the 
final decision on whether to approve the permit on the dispensary.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom