SAN JOAQUIN SUPERVISORS BAN POT DISPENSARIES IN COUNTY AREAS

Storefront medical marijuana dispensaries will be banned in
unincorporated areas now that the San Joaquin County Board of
Supervisors has adopted an ordinance banning pot establishments. The
board adopted the ordinance Tuesday afternoon, after approving an
interim zoning ordinance in April 2010 and extending it on March 1 of
this year. The permanent ordinance will become effective in 30 days.

The Board of Supervisors' only discretion is for areas outside any of
the seven cities in San Joaquin County, so the board's action Tuesday
means only that dispensaries can't be operated in communities like
Woodbridge, Acampo, Lockeford, Clements and Morada.

Nevertheless, you will only have to go as far as Stockton to purchase
medical marijuana, because the Stockton City Council has voted to
allow up to three dispensaries there.

The county's ordinance also prohibits anyone from serving, storing,
manufacturing or giving marijuana away.

However, the ordinance reads that the county will not prohibit or
inhibit the use of medical marijuana by seriously ill people in
hospitals, clinics and residential care facilities.

In other action Tuesday, the Board of Supervisors:

- -Approved a request by Cortopassi Farms to change an eight-parcel area
totaling 425 acres into a single parcel at the northeast corner of
Peltier and Blossom roads in the western area of Acampo.

The county had approved a request by a previous owner in 2008 to
subdivide the land into eight parcels of at least 40 acres each.
However, Cortopassi didn't want to keep the land subdivided due to a
county requirement that a riparian habitat buffer be added to the
subdivided land, according to a county report. The buffer would limit
Cortopassi's ability to farm the property, according to the report.

- -Postponed two public hearings, one to increase street lighting charges
in Victor and a neighborhood south of Brandt Road and east of Jack
Tone Road, and another to increase water rates in Thornton. The public
hearings have been set for Aug. 30.
- -Approved a $1.5 million settlement to Alicia Arriaga and Luis Flores.
Arriaga claimed that negligence during delivery at San Joaquin General
Hospital caused severe and permanent damages to her baby.

County counsel recommended a timely economic resolution with the
release of any potential claims. The county's self-insurance fund is
responsible for the first $1 million, with the remainder to be paid by
the California State Association of Counties.

- -Approved an agreement with the U.S. Department of Veterans' Affairs
for lease of 1.9 acres for expansion of the Veterans Administration
clinic on Matthews Road in French Camp. The lease is $25,520 per year
through Feb. 28, 2017. It includes five one-year options for renewal.