COVINA POT DISPENSARY CLOSES DOORS

COVINA - The only marijuana dispensary in the San Gabriel Valley
closed its doors on Thursday after a Los Angeles County Superior
Court Judge granted a temporary restraining order against the business.

Alternative Medicinal Collective of Covina, at the Sunrise Center,
20540 E. Arrow Highway, was operating illegally because it failed to
get the proper permits, said Sari Steel, principal deputy counsel for
Los Angeles County.

It has been operating in the unincorporated portion of Covina since February.

"The court made the right orders," Steel said. "While the county
allows this type of use, in order to operate a medical marijuana
dispensary, you need to follow the law."

Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Bruce Minto on Thursday ruled that
the dispensary violated county code because it failed to obtain a
business license and conditional use permit, and it is violating the
county's zoning code because it is located next to Charter Oak Library.

The next hearing is scheduled for May 14 at Pomona Superior Court.

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors in 2006 approved a code
that permits marijuana dispensaries as long as they are at least
1,000 feet from places with children, such as schools and libraries.

"This is fourth or fifth one we've dealt with in our district, and
we've now successfully shut down each one," said Paul Novak,
spokesman for Los Angeles County Supervisor Michael Antonovich.

The county has until Monday to serve the business, along with
Southern California Herbal Network, James Wendell and Martin Hill,
with the temporary restraining order, according to court documents.

The county counsel is hoping to stop the dispensary from operating
until it obtains the necessary permits, Steel said.

Business owners next to the dispensary described patrons walking out
of the facility Thursday morning with paper bags filled with
marijuana. But that changed later in the day, Blog Get the scoop on
local politics at the Leftovers from City Hall blog after Minto
issued his ruling.

At 2 p.m., a man who identified himself as a volunteer for
Alternative Medicinal Collective of Covina stood outside the locked
business. As people tried to go inside and found that it was locked,
the volunteer handed them a business card and informed the patrons
that the facility was temporarily closed.

Representatives from the dispensary refused to comment.

Library customers and workers at nearby businesses expressed relief
that the dispensary had been shut down.

"I don't have anything against people who need medicinal marijuana,"
said Glendora resident Diane Bryant, who was at the Charter Oak
Library on Thursday. "But am I glad it's closed? Yes. My concern was
the children. It is just so close to the library."

County of Los Angeles Public Librarian Pamela Broussard said the
library did not get much reaction regarding the clinic from library
users or parents.

"There were some concerns," from the staff, she said.

- - Staff writer Ben Baeder contributed to this story.