COUNTY MAY BAN MARIJUANA DISPENSARIES

Chief Stark Says Allowing Them Bad for Colusa

The Colusa City Council will consider an urgency ordinance Tuesday
that bans the establishment and operation of medical marijuana dispensaries.

The urgency ordinance would establish a temporary moratorium until
city staff can consider the safety impacts on the public.

The action comes shortly after the city was contacted about the
possibility of establishing a medical marijuana dispensary in town.

Interim police Chief Ross Stark said Friday he was unaware of the
agenda item, but agrees a medical marijuana dispensary is not a good
mix for Colusa.

"One, I don't see Colusa having a big medicinal market for medical
marijuana," Stark said.

More importantly, Stark added, he cannot think of a place to put one
that would be far enough away from schools and other places where
they just do not belong.

"Not in a town the size of Colusa," Stark said.

Williams approved a similar ban on dispensaries and other businesses
that potentially violate state and federal law in April.

The Colusa County Board of Supervisors passed a ban in all
unincorporated areas like Arbuckle, Grimes and Maxwell on the grounds
that while medical marijuana may comply with state law, it violates
federal law, which continues to prohibit the cultivation, use,
purchase and sale of marijuana for any purpose.

A key court decision is Southern California, however, stated that

Cities and counties throughout California have scrambled the past
year to tighten up regulations after experiencing a rash of business
license applications from people wishing to operate marijuana stores.

Colusa County Sheriff Scott Marshal said at the time that cities and
counties that have permitted the establishment of medical marijuana
dispensaries have witnessed an increase in crime, such as burglaries,
robberies and sales of illegal drugs in areas immediately surrounding
such dispensaries, as shown in studies and reports from varies agencies.

Glenn County passed a temporary ban until county officials have time
to study how to properly zone and plan for them.

Corning and Tehama County have established cultivation regulations,
and the county just won a lawsuit in which the judge clearly stated
that municipalities have the authority to set regulations based on zoning.

Although voters in 1996 approved Proposition 215, allowing for the
use of marijuana for medical purposes, the act did not require local
governments to provide for marijuana stores, according to officials.

An initiative to legalize marijuana failed in the last general election.

Colusa planning officials said there has been some interest by
medical marijuana providers to open and operate a dispensary in Colusa.

[SIDEBAR]

Colusa City Council

WHEN: 7 p.m. Tuesday

WHERE: Colusa City Hall, 425 Webster St.

AGENDA: Temporary ban on medical marijuana dispensary.