TEMPLE CITY CONSIDERS EXTENSION OF MORATORIUM ON POT DISPENSARIES

TEMPLE CITY - The City Council will consider extending a temporary
moratorium on medical marijuana dispensaries for another year
following a public hearing on Tuesday.

The moratorium, which was adopted last April, also bans the
distribution of medical marijuana at city businesses.

The idea "is to give staff sufficient time to consider, study and
draft any appropriate regulations consistent with the law so that we
can regulate such things as location and operation of any new or
existing business that may want to dispense (medical) marijuana in the
city," said City Councilman Tom Chavez.

An extension would also allow city officials to see what will happen
with a pending court case, Qualified Patients Association v. City of
Anaheim, which is tackling the issue of whether a city can ban medical
dispensaries, Chavez said.

Temple City first adopted a 45-day urgency ordinance last April after
a request was made to open a medical pot dispensary at the southeast
corner of Rosemead Boulevard and Longden Avenue. It was then extended
last June for another ten and a half months.

The moratorium, however, can only be extended for one more year. At
that point, the Council could let the moratorium expire, adopt a
permanent ordinance banning or regulating such dispensaries or adopt a
substantially different moratorium that would affect at least some
aspects of marijuana distribution, said City Attorney Eric Vail.

Temple City does not have any ordinances or zoning codes that deal
with medical marijuana dispensaries.

In California, the use of medical marijuana was legalized in 1996
after voters passed Proposition 215, also known as the Compassionate
Use Act. However, federal law prohibits any marijuana use.

It has yet to be determined by the courts whether California cities,
counties and districts can prohibit medical dispensaries outright, and
if not, to what degree they can be regulated, Vail said.

The City Council meeting begins at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday in Council
Chambers.