CITY BANS POT DISPENSARIES

Rancho Cucamonga Council Joins Several Others in Region

RANCHO CUCAMONGA - The City Council said no to medical-marijuana
dispensaries Wednesday, joining Fontana, Ontario and other neighboring
cities in banning such operations outright.

"I don't see anything good that comes out of (marijuana) myself," said
Councilman Rex Gutierrez. "I don't think we need the establishments
here."

The urgency ordinance gained unanimous approval and will go into
effect immediately. But the language of the development code needs
approval by the Planning Commission before final adoption by the council.

The city first enacted a temporary ban on marijuana dispensaries in
March 2007. The ban was extended in April 2007 and expired last month.

Nobody in the public spoke in favor of or in opposition to the
prohibition Wednesday.

The City Attorney's Office cited a recent Orange County Superior Court
decision that upheld an Anaheim ordinance prohibiting

medical-marijuana dispensaries as evidence that the legal climate is
now more favorable toward a Rancho Cucamonga ban.

California voters passed an initiative in 1996 allowing the use of
marijuana for medical purposes even though the drug is illegal under
federal law.

Planning Director James Troyer said the city has been approached
several times by people who wanted to open a medical-marijuana
dispensary before and after the temporary ban was enacted last year.

Councilman Dennis Michael said one reason he supports the ban is that
police officers have cited an increase in crime in areas near
dispensaries.

"That's certainly not the kind of business we want in this city,"
Michael said.

Rancho Cucamonga joins a host of neighboring cities that have enacted
some kind of prohibition on businesses that sell medical marijuana.

Upland, Montclair, Redlands and Colton are some cities that have
enacted a full ban. A temporary ban is in effect in La Verne and Highland.