Pubdate: Thu, 14 Apr 2016
Source: Calaveras Enterprise (CA)
Copyright: 2016 Calaveras Enterprise
Contact:  http://www.calaverasenterprise.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/838
Author: Dana M. Nichols

MARIJUANA GROWING BAN INITIATIVE HITS SETBACK

Proponent Says Group Will File Correct Paperwork Soon

Calaveras County Clerk-Recorder Rebecca Turner has rejected the 
initial paperwork filed by a group proposing a ballot initiative to 
ban commercial marijuana cultivation in the county.

Turner said in a letter dated Tuesday that the notice of intent to 
circulate petition filed a day earlier didn't meet election code 
requirements because it failed to include the language of the 
proposed initiative.

Bill McManus, a member of the still-unnamed group advocating for the 
initiative, said Wednesday morning that group members expect soon to 
refile the notice with the initiative language.

McManus said that though the group hopes to ban commercial and 
recreational marijuana production, the initiative would include an 
exemption for patients to grow marijuana for their personal use.

He said proponents are trying to craft a "nice tight exemption where 
it can't be abused or used as a loophole to provide quantities of 
marijuana that go beyond what the patient exemption was designed for."

"There are some in the group who don't want the patient exemption 
included in this. But we don't want to appear insensitive to people 
who use marijuana on a very small scale for their own personal use."

McManus said the initiative would spell out other details for 
personal-use cultivation.

"It provides for indoor growing only, not within a dwelling, and 
supervised by either the planning department or the building 
department to make sure their building is safe."

Requirements for the grow sites would include adequate electrical 
power, methods to control odor and security. "It has to have a lock," 
McManus said.

McManus said group members are still debating the number of personal 
use plants the initiative will allow, but that he expects it will be 
fewer than 12.

McManus said the group plans soon to decide on a name for itself and 
to file necessary Fair Political Practices Commission paperwork so 
that it will be able to raise and spend money on the campaign.

"We expect to have that done probably by the end of the week," 
McManus said. When asked if he believes the group can raise enough 
money to wage an effective campaign, McManus said, "Absolutely."
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom