NAPA PLANNERS NARROWLY SUPPORT MARIJUANA DISPENARY

Napa's plan to authorize only one medical marijuana dispensary struck
several planning commissioners as perhaps not enough.

For two commissioners, even one would be too many.

The Planning Commission voted 3-2 Thursday night to support a zoning
change that would allow pot clinics in office zones. The City Council
will be the final word on this.

A majority of commissioners supported the council's decision to allow
medical marijuana dispensaries under highly regulated conditions.

"The words 'Napa' and 'progressive' usually don't go together," said
Commissioner Gordon Huether, who approved of the city's new direction.

Commissioner Michelle Benvenuto disagreed. "I don't think Napa
actually needs to be this progressive," she said.

Benvenuto said marijuana had a proven medical benefit, but she
preferred that patients grow their own or go out of town to buy their
medicine. "I don't think it's an appropriate land use for Napa," she said.

Commissioner Jay Golik voted with Huether and Chairman Arthur Roosa
in recommending that the council create zoning for marijuana clinics,
but said the city was being too conservative in wanting to allow only
one clinic in the first year.

"My feeling is we're not looking at this big enough," Golik said. He
agreed with potential applicants who said the demand might swamp a
single clinic and lead to higher prices.

The city's proposed ordinance would allow the first clinic to serve
about 7,700 patients -- 10 percent of the city's population -- yet
the demand could be greater than that, potential applicants said.

Roosa asked about a statewide proposition planned for the November
ballot that would legalize marijuana for recreational use. How would
this affect Napa's medical marijuana ordinance? he said.

Legally, the proposition might not have any consequence, but it could
reduce the economic viability of a pot clinic, Deputy City Attorney
Peter Spoerl said.

The commission's zoning recommendation and comments on medical
marijuana will go to the City Council, which will hold a hearing on June 1.

Once regulations are in place, the city will invite applications for
the first license.