POT PAUSE LIKELY TO BE EXTENDED

As Larimer County officials wait for state laws regulating medical
marijuana dispensaries, county commissioners are likely to implement
a second moratorium that would begin Thursday.

The decision to implement the moratorium will be discussed today at
a land use hearing in which the public is invited to share opinions
about how the county should manage licensing dispensaries.

"I'm not a big fan of moratoriums," County Commissioner Steve
Johnson said. "They can be used to deny property rights.
Unfortunately, the legislative law conflicts with our local scheme."

The moratorium would only apply to unincorporated Larimer County and
would be the second moratorium implemented in recent months. The
first was implemented in December and lasted a month.

County Planner Michael Whitley said the new moratorium would likely
last longer as state officials vet their procedures for dispensaries.

State regulations will be finalized by July 2011. In the meantime,
Larimer County will have to decide whether to change its regulation
mandating a public hearing to approve the location of a dispensary,
which conflicts with state regulation.

"At a minimum, we would have to resolve that issue," Whitley said.

He also said state regulations assume a local licensing authority
will be created but doesn't require that be done.

"We either need to create a licensing authority ... or we have the
opportunity to ban operations," Whitley said.

A ban could be implemented by the commissioners, or put on a ballot
for voters to consider.

"We haven't made any decision about whether or not we would do
that," said Larimer County Commissioner Tom Donnelly. "We do know
that we have that option, but we haven't discussed it."

Both Donnelly and Johnson said they want to hear from the public and
fully discuss the issues before taking any action.

"This is a new area for us, and we want to be as up front and
transparent and as clear as we possibly can be," Johnson said.