MALIBU OKs TWO MARIJUANA DISPENSARIES

No More Medical Dispensaries Can Set Up Shop Within City Limits.

The Malibu City Council on Monday approved an ordinance limiting the
number of dispensaries in Malibu to two, with PCH Collective and
Green Angel getting the first opportunity to apply for
conditional-use permits to be the city's two medical marijuana facilities.

There was no previous city law on marijuana dispensaries. The council
was presented with two ordinance proposals on Monday, one to ban all
medical marijuana facilities within Malibu, and the other to allow
three dispensaries in the city. All council members said three would
be too many.

"We have limited resources with our code enforcement and these are
facilities that we are going to want to look at very closely and keep
track of," City Councilmember Sharon Barovsky said. "And with our
resources, I would hate to see more than two."

The ordinance must be approved on a second reading at an Aug. 11
meeting and then will go into effect 30 days afterward. A number of
regulations were approved for the dispensaries, including buffers
from schools and requirements for security. The businesses must
obtain conditional-use permits to operate. The existing dispensaries
have 90 days to apply for one without competition.

The council heard from several medical marijuana users and advocates
prior to its vote. The speakers urged the council not to choose the
option to ban the facilities. Steven Berkowitz, an attorney for PCH
Collective, read a note from a neighbor praising the facility as not
being a nuisance.

Kerry Fried, a medical marijuana user who has cancer, said PCH
Collective is clean and safe.

"It is very safe and secure," she said. "There are very normal people
who go through there. I think there is a huge myth around medical
marijuana that needs to be dispelled."

Councilmember John Sibert spoke about two relatives with cancer who,
when they were alive, could only be relieved of pain with marijuana.

Barovsky said, "I wish this were more closely regulated. I have a
feeling prescriptions are being written for fun. But I also know
there are cases of people who really need this."