WINDSOR VOTERS SAY NO TO MORE MEDICAL MARIJUANA DISPENSARIES

Windsor -- Windsor Town Board members wanted to hear what residents
had to say about medical marijuana dispensaries in their town.

Tuesday night, they heard it loud and clear.

By a margin of 2,609 votes -- 3,514 yes to 905 no -- residents said
they want to ban any additional medical marijuana dispensaries in town.

"The voters have stated that they don't want any more than the two
that are here, and I can live with that," Mayor John Vazquez said.
"We wanted to see what the people wanted as opposed to seven
individuals arbitrarily making the call on that."

The question, which was put on the ballot by the town board, asked
residents if they wanted "any more" dispensaries in town until there
was state legislation that directly indicated a prohibition of the
industry was unconstitutional.

The question was phrased to say "any more" because board members
didn't want a straight up or down ban vote for fear it would imply
they were willing to shut down existing businesses.

At-large board member Michael Kelly specifically cited a Centennial
judge who ordered that city to allow a dispensary to reopen after
officials shut it down because it violated federal laws.

Regardless of how opposed the residents are to the industry, the
final decision still rests with town board members, as the ballot
question was nonbinding. But Vazquez said the board always was
pretty clear that they would take serious what the residents wanted.

"I don't think there was ever any intention to ignore the results,"
Vazquez said. "We just wanted to make sure we were doing the will of
the people, and that just validates the will. Until there's
something that tells us we have to do something different, we
can proceed comfortably with this decision. I feel comfortable
knowing that if we get sued, I'm expressing the desire of the people."

Tina Valenti, co-owner of In Harmony Wellness, said she and partner
Derek Cumings were interested in the results, but they were
comfortable with state of their business regardless of how the votes came in.

The issue of medical marijuana dispensaries has been a contentious
one since several applications for sales tax licenses started to
pour into Town Hall in the fall.

In June, In Harmony opened at near the intersection of Interstate 25
and Colo. 392. The business remained quiet with no reports of
problems from Windsor police. It remains that way today.

But by November, eight new applications had been filed, and one more
dispensary opened its doors in downtown, so town staff decided to
take it to the board for guidance.

On Dec. 16, the board passed an emergency moratorium stopping any
more businesses from opening until they could put regulations in
place. That moratorium was due to expire in March, but the board
extended it into June so newly elected board members would have a
chance to get familiar with the issue, and it would give them a
chance to wait on pending legislation at the state level.