GLENWOOD OKs ZONING REGS FOR MEDICAL POT OPERATIONS

Carbondale Working to Address Patient Growing

Glenwood Springs and Carbondale continue on a similar track with other
municipalities across Colorado that are working to establish local
rules under which medical marijuana businesses must operate.

Last week, Glenwood Springs City Council approved the first of what's
anticipated to be two separate ordinances aimed at controlling the
booming businesses, which have taken off in Colorado over the past
couple of years.

The Glenwood Springs ordinance was approved on first reading by a 4-2
vote at the March 17 city council meeting. Final approval is expected
next month.

The new ordinance addresses where and how medical marijuana businesses
can operate in the city, including:

. Retail medical marijuana centers (dispensaries).

. Marijuana cultivation, both on a commercial scale to supply
dispensaries and for personal use.

. Infused products manufacturing, creating goods that contain
marijuana or marijuana extracts.

It allows dispensaries and infused products manufacturing in any of
the city's commercial zone districts, as well as the River Industrial
zone district, located along Devereux Road. Certain standards must be
met related to security, noise and odor control, signage and other
neighborhood impacts.

Commercial cultivation of medical marijuana would be allowed in the
Devereux Road district as well, but nowhere else in the city.

Other provisions would require medical marijuana facilities to be at
least 500 feet away from any public or private kindergarten through
12th grade school property.

That distance is farther than the 250 feet that had been recommended
by the Glenwood Springs Planning and Zoning Commission, but closer
than the state's guideline of 1,000 feet, according to city planner
A'Lissa Gerum.

Carbondale is currently looking at a 1,000-foot restriction, but has
also considered settling on 500 feet.

In Glenwood Springs, medical marijuana businesses also could not
locate any closer than 500 feet from one another, according to the new
ordinance.

Glenwood Springs has seen the number of dispensaries shrink since last
year, from as many as 10 previously to six currently.

Existing dispensaries that are out of compliance with the new
ordinance would be allowed to continue to operate. But any ownership
change, relocation or modification of the business would require them
to comply with the new rules, according to city officials.

Individual, card-carrying medical marijuana patients who choose to
grow in their own homes would be limited to no more than six plants on
any residential property, the new ordinance also says.

"Both state law and the medical marijuana industry continue to develop
and change," Gerum noted in her staff report for the March 17 meeting.
"Given that the industry and regulations are still quite young, and
that the drug is federally illegal, conditions may continue to change.

"While we're addressing these municipal code requirements to the best
of our knowledge at this point, it may be necessary to revisit them
for updates, due to changing conditions in the future," she said.

Next up for Glenwood Springs City Council to consider will be a
licensing provision and associated fees for medical marijuana
businesses. A moratorium on new medical marijuana businesses in
Glenwood Springs remains in effect through June.

'Grow Your Own' Rules

The town of Carbondale, meanwhile, continues to wrestle with similar
ordinances related to rules for patient and caregiver growing
facilities in residential areas, as well as zoning for dispensaries
and commercial growing operations.

At the Carbondale town board's March 15 meeting, a provision to limit
in-home growing operations to no more than 12 plants per household was
discussed.

However, trustees decided to eliminate language related to caregivers
being allowed to grow in residential settings, and only allow
certified medical marijuana patients to have grow operations in
residential zones.

State law allows a personal caregiver to have up to five medical
marijuana patients, whom they can assist in obtaining marijuana products.

"If people really have a need to grow it for their own medical use,
they should be allowed to," Trustee John Foulkrod said.

If someone has to provide it for them, he said, "they can just go to
the nearest dispensary."

Trustee Ed Cortez wanted to be careful not to prevent access to
medical marijuana for those who may truly need it.

"My concern is for someone who is really ill, maybe terminally ill,
who cannot physically grow a plant," Cortez said. "I think there are
quite a few people who need this, and I want to make sure we're not
making it more difficult for them to maintain their quality of life."

The town is also considering a provision to require tenants in rental
units to obtain landlord approval before being allowed to grow medical
marijuana in their homes.

The matter was continued until April 5. A separate ordinance
establishing where and how dispensaries and commercial growing can
occur is currently before the Carbondale Planning and Zoning
Commission. A public hearing is scheduled for April 14.

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MARIJUANA EDUCATION FORUM PLANNED

Colorado Attorney General John Suthers is scheduled to participate in
a panel discussion on medical marijuana and its impact on youth at 6
p.m. Thursday, April 7, at the Glenwood Springs High School Auditorium.

Also slated to be on the panel will be Dr. Abraham Nussbaum of the
Denver Health Medical Center, YouthZone senior counselor Kerri Cheney,
Glenwood Springs High School assistant principal Gayla Rowe, and local
school resource officer Brian Larison. The moderator will be former
GSHS principal Mike Wells.

The panel discussion is being presented by the Roaring Fork School
District Re-1 Board of Education and the DECA Club from GSHS.

It is intended to inform and promote communication among parents,
students and community members about the effects of marijuana on young
people, said school board member Myles Rovig.