MEDICAL POT, MARKET'S FATE BEFORE COUNCIL

CHICO - On a full Chico City Council agenda, the main issues to be
considered tonight include regulations on residential medical
marijuana growing and dispensaries and a recommendation to terminate
the agreement for the operation of the Thursday Night Market.

For several months, the city has vetted the issue of medical
marijuana. Tonight, the council is expected to take action on an
ordinance that would allow for the distribution of medical marijuana
in certain industrial and commercial areas in the city.

A collective or cooperative would be required to obtain a permit to
dispense medical marijuana, would have to submit a security plan and
could not be located within 300 feet of a residential area or less
than 1,000 feet from a school.

The ordinance would also limit the size of outdoor residential
marijuana grows and a city permit would be required to grow medical
marijuana indoors.

On the recommendation of the Internal Affairs Committee, the council
will also consider terminating its franchise agreement with the
Downtown Chico Business Association for the operation of the Thursday
Night Market.

The city has received repeated complaints from Hotel Diamond owner
Wayne Cook about the closure of Fourth Street in front of his hotel
during the Thursday Night Market. Additionally, several downtown
businesses have expressed complaints about the market's impact to
their business.

In an effort to address those issues, the Internal Affairs Committee
recommended that the council terminate the franchise agreement for
the Thursday Night Market until a solution to the matter is found.

A committee is expected to form to discuss the reshaping of the market.