Palm Springs council relaxes regulation on medical marijuana

The Palm Springs City Council voted tonight to relax some regulations
for medical marijuana collective operators seeking to open dispensaries
in the city.

The 4-1 vote, with Councilman Weigel dissenting, gives more flexibility
to the proposed 500-foot minimum distance from schools, churches, homes
and
parks, city public information officer Amy Blaisdell said.

The proposed changes would enable the dispensaries to operate in a
retail center and reduce parking restrictions.

City Attorney Douglas Holland will bring a proposed urgency ordinance to
the council's Feb. 3 meeting that would make changes effective
immediately.

The two permits to operate dispensaries could be issued at the meeting,
Blaisdell said.

Four applicants are vying to be right to operate dispensaries.

The city's medical marijuana ordinance, approved in March, allows two
collectives or cooperatives in compliance with state law to operate
within one of the city's three industrial zones.

The candidates seeking to open a facility are:

-- Cannahelp in the 500 block of East Industrial Place;

-- CAPS Apothecary in the 4000 block of Airport Center Drive;

-- Organic Solutions of the Desert in the 500 block of Williams Road;
and

-- Herbal Solutions in the 4700 block of Ramon Road.