PRESCOTT VALLEY COMMISSION TO DISCUSS MEDICAL MARIJUANA

PRESCOTT VALLEY - The Prescott Valley Planning and Zoning Commission
will revisit zoning for medical marijuana dispensaries and
cultivation when the panel meets Monday evening.

The Community Development Department staff has revised a draft
ordinance in response to comments at the Dec. 13 study session and
statements in writing afterward.

Staff has prepared the ordinance because voters statewide approved
Proposition 203 on Nov. 2 to allow the use of medical marijuana. The
ordinance contains seven pages of proposed regulations and calls for
nonprofit entities to operate dispensaries.

The ordinance calls for requiring dispensaries to be located in
commercial; general sales and services (C-2) and commercial; minor
industrial (C-3) zoning districts; and at least 500 feet from each
other, residential areas, schools, churches, parks and other public buildings.

It also would limit the floor area in a dispensary to 1,000 square
feet and require a dispensary to be located within a permanent
building, as opposed to a trailer, cargo container or vehicle. The
ordinance also would allow infusion facilities - which involves
preparing marijuana for use through cooking, blending and other means
- - within dispensaries.

Marijuana cultivation facilities would be allowed in C-3 districts
and inside dispensaries. The 500-foot distance requirements also
would apply to cultivation facilities.

Cultivation sites could cover a maximum of 3,000 square feet in floor space.

The ordinance also contains provisions for caregivers to grow
marijuana in C-3 districts.

The Medical Marijuana Policy Project estimates 65,000 people in
Arizona will be registered medical marijuana users by the end of this
year, according to a letter to Community Development Director Richard
Parker from Adam Trenk of the Rose Law Group in Scottsdale. He
estimated Prescott Valley would have as many as 835 registered users
based on the town's population.

The commission, an advisory body to the Town Council, will meet at
5:30 p.m. Monday in the council chambers on the first floor of the
Civic Center, 7501 E. Civic Circle.

Also on the agenda are public hearings on:

A request by Tina Knoy for a zoning map change from C-2 to C-3 for 10
acres at the northwest corner of Highway 69 and Kachina Drive.

An application from Jay Fagelman representing Northcentral University
for a zoning map change from public lands-planned area development to
residential service-planned area development for 50 acres a half-mile
east of the intersection of Sheridan Lane and University Drive.

A request from the Arizona Agribusiness and Equine Center for a
zoning map change from C-2 planned area development to C-2 planned
area development for 5 acres north of Civic Circle, east of Viewpoint
Drive, south of Long Look Drive and west of Civic Drive. The center
has plans to open a charter school at the site.

The meeting will close with the election of officers.