PALM SPRINGS COUNCIL VOTES 3-1 TO ALLOW POT COOPS

Medical marijuana collectives and cooperatives will now be allowed in
Palm Springs, following a vote Wednesday by City Council.

The measure will go into effect in 30 days following a second reading,
officials said.

Wednesday night's approval means Palm Springs is the first city in
Riverside County to allow these facilities.

"This is an incredible first step," Councilwoman Ginny Foat
said.

The Palm Springs City Council voted 3-1, with Councilman Lee Weigel
voting no and Mayor Pro Tem Chris Mills absent, in favor of the
ordinance, which allows two collectives and/or cooperatives to operate
within city limits.

This means several of the estimated seven dispensaries now operating
in Palm Springs illegally will have to close.

City Attorney Doug Holland said the city is close to filing lawsuits
against two of the existing dispensaries and is still gathering
evidence against five more.

"If they are illegal, they ought to be shut down as soon as possible,"
Mayor Steve Pougnet said.

In addition to the two-dispensary limit, the law also
mandates:

Dispensaries can only be located in areas of the city zoned commercial
manufacturing or for industrial use, called M-1 or M-2 zones.

Dispensaries would have to submit applications to the city, detailing
their security plans and certifying that they are organized as
nonprofit collectives and cooperatives as required under state law and
guidelines issued last year by state Attorney General Jerry Brown.

If selling medical marijuana in edible form, dispensaries would need a
state license to sell food.

Owners and employees would be required to have criminal background
checks.

Dispensaries would be required to take monthly inventories of the
medical marijuana in stock. They could sell only marijuana grown by
collective members.

Check or credit card payments. No cash.

Foat said she didn't want to see a requirement that bars be placed on
windows.

Pougnet and Councilman Rick Hutcheson agreed.

Weigel asked that in addition to collectives not being placed within
500 feet of schools, that they also not be within 500 feet of day care
and/or child care facilities.

Current dispensaries will have a 90-day window once the law is passed
to submit an application for one of the two city permits, with final
approval by vote of the City Council.

"I'm not thrilled with it, but it's a step in the right direction,"
said Lanny Swerdlow, president of the Marijuana Anti-Prohibition
Project, a patients advocacy group.