Naveda City Ban on Pot Shop?

By David Mirhadi
Staff Writer
Tuesday, June 30, 2009

The Nevada City Council will consider extending a moratorium on the opening
of medical marijuana dispensaries in town, but the mayor believes the city
might not need the full 10 months before crafting an ordinance allowing such
shops.

“I think we can fashion a workable ordinance in a shorter period of time,â€
Mayor Barbara Coffman said Monday.

The meeting is at 6:30 tonight at Nevada City Hall.

In May, Nevada City City Council members unanimously passed a 45-day
emergency ordinance barring the dispensaries from opening in town so they
could research the issue.

The 45-day moratorium was passed just after Grass Valley passed a similar
measure. The Grass Valley City Council followed up the emergency ordinance
with a vote earlier this month to extend the moratorium a full 10 months and
15 days, the maximum amount of time allowed by law to keep such an ordinance
in place under terms of Proposition 215.

Prop. 215 was ratified by voters in 1996.

It allows caregivers and medical providers to sell marijuana for medical
treatment to people with a doctor's recommendation.

While it is legal in California for those with a prescription, the use or
possession of marijuana is a crime under federal law.

While members of the Nevada City City Council have previously said they were
not opposed to opening a medical marijuana dispensary in town, they did
express a preference for crafting an ordinance tailored for the city's use.

“I think (city management) will have to provide more information as to how
this could be harmful for our town,†Coffman said. “I'm going to listen to
what's being provided to us.â€

Nevada City resident Harry Bennett applied in April for a business license
to open a marijuana dispensary. He has indicated he'd like to open a store
on Uren Street.

Bennett did not return a call for comment Monday afternoon.

The nearest medical marijuana dispensary operates in Colfax, and the city
has received few complaints since it opened about five years ago.

Grass Valley Mayor Lisa Swarthout said the moratorium that was extended in
Grass Valley was done to give law enforcement time to put together an
ordinance.

Coffman on Monday said the Nevada City City Council is not explicitly
opposed to the opening of a medical marijuana dispensary, a sentiment shared
by other members of the council when the issue was first discussed by
members at a meeting in May.

“I don't think the council would support a total ban on these,†she said.

To contact Staff Writer David Mirhadi, e-mail dmirhadi@theunion.com or call
477-4239.

http://www.theunion.com/article/20090630/NEWS/906299970