COMMUNITY'S INPUT NEEDED

Recently the City Planning Commission held a very important meeting to
discuss zoning requirements for medical marijuana facilities. This
topic is a legislative action in which all discussion in and out of
the meeting is allowed.

As permitted, I put the word out to several key stakeholders who were
unaware of the meeting and encouraged them to participate.

The result was a excellent discussion of the issue from a very broad
cross section of the community. Represented were the Cannabis Council,
the Council of Neighbors and Organizations (CONO), shop owners, a
legislator, the District Attorney, K-12 education, medical marijuana
patients, the police department, property owners, patient caregivers,
neighbors, colleges and universities, religious institutions, alcohol
and drug treatment professionals and mothers of medical marijuana users.

It was a very informative meeting and the commission and the community
are better for the dialogue. Let the discussion continue.

I believe that the greater the participation from the community the
better the policy.

Janet Suthers, City Planning Commissioner

Colorado Springs