SUPES DENY MEDICAL MARIJUANA DISPENSARY

The Board of Supervisors won't allow a medical marijuana dispensary to
operate in Nipomo.

With a unanimous vote Tuesday, the supervisors upheld an earlier
decision by the county Planning Commission to deny a minor-use permit
for the dispensary proposed on Frontage Road.

In May, the commission denied the permit for the medical marijuana
dispensary proposed by Robert Brody of Los Angeles and his business
partner Tom Meredith of Long Beach.

Brody appealed the commission's 3-2 decision, which was based partly
on the close proximity of the planned dispensary to a private
gymnastics studio across the street.

The majority of the commission believed the gymnastics studio --
located 94 feet from the proposed dispensary site -- fell within the
parameters of a public youth-serving center, as did the
supervisors.

Brody didn't agree.

"The overriding point is (the gymnastics studio) is not a youth
center," Brody said Tuesday.

County ordinance allows establishment of dispensaries in
unincorporated areas such as Nipomo, but specifies the facilities must
be located 1,000 feet away from public schools, playgrounds, parks,
youth or recreation centers and libraries.

Nipomo residents have staunchly opposed the proposed medical marijuana
dispensary and during the supervisors meeting, voiced concerns such a
facility would create a crime magnet.

Residents also said there was no need for a dispensary in the
community when medical marijuana is readily available to individuals
who have a prescription and a telephone.

Numerous individuals opposed to the proposed dispensary cited a
variety of advertisements in local publications for the delivery of
medical marijuana.

"Their needs are met with collectives in San Luis Obispo," said Mike
Murphy. "That makes (the dispensary) dangerous and
unnecessary."

Longtime Nipomo resident Rebecca Pruitt said when the proposal for the
dispensary was presented to the community at a South County Advisory
Council earlier this year, she wasn't against it. She since has
changed her mind. Pruitt believes medical marijuana prescriptions are
too easy to obtain, which wasn't the intent of Proposition 215 that
was passed by voters in 1996 and legalized marijuana for medicinal
purposes.

"It's not someone suffering from cancer or glaucoma (who gets
prescriptions)," Pruitt said, adding dispensaries aren't safe or
needed. "You can get one for PMS. That's kind of ridiculous."

To quell concern about the dispensary's proximity to the gymnastics
studio, Brody suggested limiting the hours of operation of the
dispensary to when the studio wasn't open, requiring an annual review
of the permit and adding stricter security measures.

However, the supervisors agreed that the location of the proposed
dispensary didn't meet the county's guidelines for establishing
medical marijuana dispensaries. The officials also said they couldn't
support the appeal with so much community opposition to the proposal.

"It's not appropriate for us to act outside the wishes of the
community," said 5th District Supervisor Jim Patterson.