Pubdate: Mon, 10 Aug 2015
Source: Press Democrat, The (Santa Rosa, CA)
Copyright: 2015 The Press Democrat
Contact:  http://www.pressdemocrat.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/348
Author: Clark Mason

CLOVERDALE MAY RETHINK ITS BAN ON MARIJUANA DISPENSARIES

Cloverdale is reconsidering its ban on medical marijuana dispensaries 
in light of what the city manager describes as a "potential new 
political dynamic regarding marijuana."

With predictions that California, like a growing number of states, 
will approve the recreational use of marijuana next year, Cloverdale 
City Council members on Wednesday are expected to establish an ad hoc 
committee to potentially revamp city policies about cannabis.

Cloverdale City Councilwoman Mary Ann Brigham last month requested 
the city take another look at the issue of dispensaries, citing 
growing pressure in the community.

"A lot of people have come to me - older people, younger people," she 
said, explaining that they can't understand why Cloverdale doesn't 
have a medical marijuana dispensary.

In particular, she said, one friend of hers who was dying of cancer 
castigated the council, saying he had to go all the way to Santa Rosa 
or Hopland to obtain his cannabis.

"I'm driving and it's difficult for me to go anywhere," he reportedly 
told Brigham. "I can't just send anyone out. A lot of us use it as 
medicine. It's not just stoners anymore."

California voters almost 20 years ago approve the use of marijuana 
for medical reasons with a doctor's recommendation, although the line 
has blurred between medical and recreational users because a medical 
recommendation is easy to obtain. Individual cities and counties were 
left to develop regulations on how much people can possess and grow.

In 2008, Cloverdale became the fifth city in Sonoma County to ban 
medical marijuana dispensaries, joining Petaluma, Rohnert Park, 
Windsor and Healdsburg.

At the time, Cloverdale, like other cities, cited the risk of crime 
and other potential problems associated with pot clubs, despite 
advocates' insistence that they can operate without trouble if there 
is proper management.

Cloverdale also banned outdoor medical marijuana gardens. Council 
members said they wanted to reduce the number of complaints 
associated with strong odor from budding plants.

Since then, Colorado in 2014 became the first state in the country to 
approve recreational marijuana use. Legalization is in place in three 
other states and the District of Columbia.

An initiative is expected to be placed on the California ballot next 
year to legalize recreational use.

Brigham said if marijuana becomes legal in 2016, Cloverdale needs to 
consider allowing dispensaries, as well as whether the city will 
obtain some of the sales tax revenue.

She said there needs to be a discussion "so we know what Cloverdale 
is going to do, so we're ahead of that, so someone doesn't open a 
3,000-square-foot mini-mart of marijuana."

Interim Police Chief Susan Jones said that after Colorado legalized 
recreational use, dispensaries "were popping up on street corners 
like Starbucks."

She said that depending on how any legislation legalizing marijuana 
is written, Cloverdale might still be able to restrict the location 
of dispensaries.

Brigham said the city committee could end up looking at marijuana 
growing guidelines, too, and would want to hear from the public.

"Let's face it - it's an underground business that's been around 
forever," she said.

"There's gardens all around. There are in every town. It's Northern California."
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom