CITY COUNCIL WON'T PUT DISPENSARY BAN TO NOV. VOTE

Colorado Springs voters will not get a chance to decide the fate of
the 176 medical marijuana dispensaries and grow operations in the city
this November, but they may still have a shot in April.

Recently enacted Colorado House Bill 1284 allows communities in
Colorado to regulate medical marijuana businesses, either through
local government or a public vote.

A ballot question proposed by councilman Darryl Glenn at City
Council's informal meeting Monday would have asked residents to vote
on whether the dispensaries, which have blossomed in the community in
the last two years, should be banned. But the proposal failed to get
the support of a majority of council members.

"We have heard a lot of dialogue in the community for and against, and
I think it is important that the citizens' voice be heard," said
Glenn, who is running for El Paso County commissioner.

Council members Jan Martin, Randy Purvis and Vice Mayor Larry Small
voiced support for the vote, even though not all of them support a
ban. Other members sat in silent dissent. Last week councilman Sean
Paige said Glenn's proposal would just "get the city entangled in a
contentious ballot battle and costly lawsuit"

Other members urged that the public should have its
say.

"The community wants to have this discussion," said Small. "They
deserve to have this debate. I think it will come to a vote sooner or
later."

A citizens group trying to get a similar question on the ballot this
fall failed to get enough signatures but could try again in the spring.

In the meantime, the council is moving forward with land-use
ordinances that would regulate dispensaries in a similar fashion to
liquor stores. The city budget office has projected that sales tax,
applications and license fees for city dispensaries could generate
$1.2 million for the city in 2011.