GRASS VALLEY COUNCIL UNDER 'VERY TIGHT' TIMELINE TO PASS MEDICAL
MARIJUANA ORDINANCE

With the clock ticking on Grass Valley's medical marijuana moratorium,
action is required quickly to decide the city's next steps in dealing
with the drug.

City staff must agendize an ordinance either allowing and regulating
medical marijuana sales or banning them totally for December's
Planning Commission meeting, according to the agenda for Tuesday's
City Council meeting.

The city's medical marijuana ban ends Feb. 23, 2011, meaning a new
ordinance needs to follow a "very tight time frame," following its
initial appearance before the planning commission in December,
according to the council agenda.

"The first reading of an ordinance by the Council would need to be
heard on January 11 and adopted," by January 25 to be effective on
Feb. 24, allowing 30 days for publication, according to the agenda.

The council put off discussion on a medical marijuana ordinance this
year because of California's Proposition 19, which would have allowed
recreational marijuana use for everyone 21 and older.

The proposition failed on Nov. 2.

Council meets at 7 p.m. Tuesday at Grass Valley City Hall on 125 E.
Main St. in downtown. The meeting is open to the public.