LA PUENTE CITY COUNCIL VOTES TO BAN MEDICAL MARIJUANA DISPENSARIES

LA PUENTE - After several months of public hearings and debate, the
City Council on Tuesday night voted 4-1 to prohibit the establishment
and operation of medical marijuana facilities in the city. Mayor David
Argudo was the lone dissenter in banning the 10 marijuana dispensaries
in La Puente.

"I do not support this," Argudo said. "It doesn't do justice for the
business owners, and (there will be) ensuing litigation that will cost
our city millions."

Dispensaries will have to close by Feb. 2. However, owners can apply
for extensions.

La Puente, a city of 41,000 residents, has the most marijuana clinics
in the eastern San Gabriel Valley. That has increased public outcry
among residents, who said their presence would jeopardize children's
safety.

However, several shop owners have threatened legal action if pushed
out of the city, including Gene Gordon, owner of Natural Choices
Collective on Hacienda Boulevard.

"Even though evidence points otherwise, they made the decision that
we're a nuisance, even though we're involved in a legal business in
the state of California," he said.

Gordon's store opened in May, three months after the City Council
first asked city staff to draft a law banning the dispensaries at a
Feb. 23 meeting.

"It was obvious to me that the City Council had already made up their
minds way before they heard public opinion," Gordon said. "Those are
the same people that allowed us to build, and they put together very
stringent requirements that made me, personally, invest over $140,000
(in renovations), before they allowed me to open the store in the city."

The city's Planning Commission recommended the ordinance banning the
shops at its June 1 meeting, citing detrimental impacts, such as
increased crime, loitering and street dealing.

"Based on my expert opinion ... it will only enhance the continuance
of criminal activity," said sheriff's Lt. Pete Cacheiro, who serves as
La Puente's chief of police.

From 2007 to 2009, 404 people were arrested near a dispensary while
carrying under an ounce of marijuana, Cacheiro said. Since January of
this year, 46 arrests were made near dispensaries, he said.