COUNCIL ADOPTS URGENCY POT BAN ORDINANCE

OROVILLE - The City Council unanimously adopted an "urgency" zoning
ordinance at a public hearing Tuesday night that will place a 45-day
moratorium on marijuana dispensaries in commercial and industrial districts.

Councilors thanked staff for taking a proactive approach and bringing
forth the resolution to address marijuana dispensaries.

"I think we need to be ahead of the curve on this," said Councilor
Gordon Andoe.

One person at the public hearing spoke on the issue.

Ramo Ferretti said the city had the right idea to take initiative on
a moratorium on pot dispensaries.

"I like the philosophy that you like to nip things in the bud," Ferretti said.

However, Ferretti said the city should just move forward and put a
moratorium on marijuana dispensaries by not allowing them in any zone.

"Oroville doesn't need a pot dispensary," he said. "We have enough trouble."

City Attorney Scott Huber said the city cannot put a permanent
moratorium on dispensaries until the city has studied the impacts of
dispensaries specifically to Oroville.

What the resolution does is prevent any dispensaries from opening
while the city studies the issue, Huber said.

Now, the issue will go to the Planning Commission to study the
impacts dispensaries would have in the city.

The commission will then eventually recommend a plan to the City
Council. Huber said the plan could be recommendations of where the
dispensaries are allowed - or even that they should not be allowed at all.

After the 45-day period, the city can extend the moratorium two times
while it studies the impacts and comes up with a plan to address dispensaries.

The first extension can be as long as 10 months and 15 days. The
second extension can cover a period as long as a year, giving the
city almost two years to address marijuana dispensaries.

The moratorium had to pass by a four-fifths vote, which Huber
calculated was six votes.

Since the council adopted the resolution for a moratorium, the city
must prepare a report 10 days prior to the expiration of the
ordinance describing the conditions that led to the adoption of the ordinance.

The council found the ordinance is necessary to protect the public
health, safety and the welfare of the community.

The moratorium, once adopted, goes into effect immediately. "We
believe a proactive approach is a much better approach than waiting
on the whims of others," Huber said.