FONTANA LATEST CITY TO PLACE MORATORIUM ON POT DISPENSARIES

FONTANA - Fontana's City Council joined a number of other area cities
Tuesday night with a 5-0 vote to ban medical marijuana dispensaries
for 45 days.

Only one speaker during a public hearing on the issue said she
opposed a dispensary in Fontana.

A few supported the emergency ordinance enacting the temporary ban,
saying the city needs to study the issue before allowing dispensaries.

Many more instead asked that the city set aside talk of a moratorium
and open the path to bringing a dispensary to Fontana.

"Locally, there is no place for me to get my medication," said Rancho
Cucamonga resident Kay Smith, who told the council she was a medical
marijuana patient. "If it's opened here, I can have safe access
without going to LA," dealing with the drive and questionable
neighborhoods, she said.

"It's not just a business, it's for the patients," said Shawn Tizabi
of Rancho Cucamonga, who would like to open the dispensary.

"We have a seller's permit. All we need is a conditional use license
or a business permit."

Yolanda Calderon, a longtime resident of Fontana, said she empathized
with the medical marijuana patients but supported a ban.

Cities that have dispensaries, Calderon said, "have witnessed an
increase in burglaries, robberies and selling of illegal drugs in the
vicinity of these dispensaries."

Tizabi asked the council to let the dispensary open on a trial basis,
but the mayor declined.

"All this dialogue underscores the need for a 45-day moratorium,"
Mayor Mark Nuaimi said.

"This has been educational for us."

Tizabi, of Helping Hands Collective Caregivers, approached the city
in early February with his sister and business partner, Shermin
Tizabi, a registered nurse.

Both said they want to work with the city to open a dispensary and
were instead greeted with staff's request for a moratorium.

The inquiry spurred department officials to ask that the City Council
consider the urgency ordinance so staff could study whether the
dispensary should be allowed.

While California voters approved use of the drug for medicinal
purposes a decade ago, federal law still makes marijuana illegal to
use or possess.

Community Development Director Don Williams asked the City Council to
consider the moratorium in late February. The issue got pushed back
several times because not enough council members were at meetings in
February and March to enact the emergency ordinance.

The emergency ordinance expires May 24, unless the council takes
action to extend it.

After the vote, the council agreed to hold a special meeting on that
date, should staff determine an extension is necessary.

Temecula, Corona, Norco and Lake Elsinore have enacted similar
measures against dispensaries.

In early February, Desert Hot Springs enacted a temporary moratorium
similar to the one in Fontana.