CEASE, DESIST ORDER CLOSES MARIJUANA STORE IN BUTTE

A medical marijuana caregiver operating in a residential area of
Montana Street closed Tuesday afternoon after police issued a
cease-and-desist order.

A Butte police officer hand-delivered the order at about 4 p.m. to
Tawnya LaFond, owner of the Patch at 672 S. Montana St.

The Butte-Silver Bow Planning Department sent the order to LaFond via
certified mail last Wednesday, but the owner says she never received
the document.

LaFond had remained open pending arrival of the order, but closed shop
after police delivered the notice Tuesday.

She plans to file for a conditional use permit through the city-county
with hopes of reopening at that location.

"We closed as soon as they served us the order; we shut off our 'open'
sign and we closed down to be in compliance," she said.

LaFond, meanwhile, says she's in the process of hiring an attorney as
she seeks her permit to operate the store as a non-profit
organization.

"We are just going to go day by day and go from there," she
said.

Planning officials say LaFond is violating city-county zoning by
operating in a residential area without approval from the zoning board
of adjustment.

Zoning officials could consider LaFond's request for a variance as
soon as next month.