BOULDER EXTENDS INTERIM MED-POT RULES

Officials Also Seek Clarification on Solar Gardens
Bill

Boulder's temporary regulations on medical marijuana dispensaries
will remain in place while city planners work on developing permanent
rules for the burgeoning industry.

The city's temporary regulations, which require dispensaries not to
locate within 500 feet of schools and day-care centers and not to
cluster in areas that already have three of the businesses, were set
to expire at the end of the month.

The Boulder City Council, which met Wednesday, voted unanimously to
extend the temporary rules until July 7 or until permanent
regulations are adopted.

Two members of Growing Colorado, a local organization of
dispensaries, asked the city to extend the temporary regulations so
their members have more time to work with city officials on crafting
permanent rules. Growing Colorado members say they favor sensible
regulation, but they have concerns about some of the city's proposed
measures.

The City Council already has approved a first reading of the more
extensive regulations, which would establish a new monitoring and
licensing system, require dispensaries to install alarm systems and
allow dispensaries to keep only enough marijuana on site for the
number of patients they have.

A second reading of the ordinance, including a public hearing, is
scheduled for May 4.

In other business, the council expressed sympathy for concerns raised
by some local solar installers about a bill in the state Legislature
that would allow residents who cannot install solar at their homes to
buy shares in community solar gardens and receive credit on their
electricity bills.

The bill, introduced by state Rep. Claire Levy, a Boulder Democrat,
at the request of the city, has drawn opposition from some small
solar companies, who say it would promote large solar farms at the
expense of smaller arrays developed by local companies.

"We can compete for 500 kilowatts, but we'll never be able to compete
for 2 megawatts," said JoElyn Newcomb, director of Independent Power
Systems, referring to the minimum and maximum size of the solar
gardens that would be allowed under the bill. "That will mean local
jobs are lost."

City Manager Jane Brautigam said the city had asked Levy to hold off
on a second reading of the bill until the issues raised by smaller
companies could be addressed. City Council members said they want to
make sure the bill doesn't have unintended consequences.

But they also want the bill passed so that renters, people who live
in condominiums or historic districts and people whose houses have
too much shade have an opportunity to participate in solar energy and
so the city as a whole increases its use of renewable energy sources.

Reached by phone, Levy said she is removing some provisions of the
bill that have caused concern and circulating amendments to all the
interested parties. However, she said she thinks small solar
companies are overestimating the impact of the bill on their
industry, and there would be plenty of business to go around.

"Their concerns are not necessarily consistent with increasing access
to solar power or looking out for consumers or increasing the total
amount of solar generation," she said.