MINTURN SPLIT ON POT SHOPS

MINTURN, Colorado -- Minturn might let voters decide whether pot shops
can operate in town.

On Wednesday, Town Council members shared mixed opinions about putting
a question on the November ballot.

Under a relatively new state law, the town can ban marijuana
dispensaries, regulate them or let voters decide their fate.

Councilman Jerry Bumgarner said the town doesn't need dispensaries
because people can get medical marijuana 3 miles down the road.

"We don't have a pharmacy, so this is not an extra burden on somebody
who has a license to get medicinal marijuana," he said.

If a dispensary wanted to set up shop in, say, Minturn's business
park, and the other tenants opposed that, the landlord would be
powerless to turn the dispensary down, Bumgarner said.

"The landlord would be sued for discrimination of a legitimate
business in spite of all the other guys not wanting it around," he
said.

Councilwoman Shelley Bellm said she opposes an outright ban on
dispensaries, saying they could generate sales tax revenue. She said
the town could regulate their location and hours.

Councilman Earle Bidez said he favors a ballot question.

"I haven't been to any of these dispensaries, but we're approaching it
like it's going to be a head shop with smoke wafting out of the
windows and guys grooving to music with bongs hanging out the window
and all that kind of stuff," he said. "I'm assuming we can structure
this so it will be a clinical office-type space. I think we can put
those regulations on it so it's not going to be something silly."

Current town law prevents dispensaries from getting business licenses
because medical marijuana does not comply with federal law.

Council plans to decide Aug. 4 whether to put the matter on the
ballot.