TEMPLETON POT DISPENSARY STILL UP IN THE AIR

For the Second Time, County Planners Reach No Decision on the Ramada
Drive Site in Templeton; Action on a Permit Is Postponed Until January

County planning commissioners on Monday failed again to reach a
decision on a proposed medical marijuana dispensary in Templeton.

In July, the Planning Commission deadlocked 2-2 in a disagreement
over exactly how far the dispensary--proposed for a Ramada Drive
industrial park--would be from a park across Highway 101.

Before Monday's commission meeting, applicant Austen Connella asked
that the decision on a permit for the proposed 1,450-square-foot
cannabis co-op be delayed because all five commissioners couldn't be present.

Sarah Christie, who has voted in favor of the permit, was absent
Monday. In the July deadlock, Commissioner Anne Wyatt was absent.

Since federal agents raided Central Coast Compassionate Caregivers in
Morro Bay on March 29, the closest medical marijuana dispensaries to
San Luis Obispo County are in Buellton and Santa Barbara.

Paso Robles police Chief Lisa Solomon spoke against the proposal,
arguing that "there is no valid use -- no good can come of this in
our community or yours."

Solomon described problems at dispensaries in other areas and
expressed concern that police could be diverted to deal with problems
at a local outlet.

"I don't want to create another problem for my community," Solomon said.

California voters made medical use of marijuana legal in 1996 for
patients with a doctor's recommendation when they approved
Proposition 215, the Compassionate Use Act.

That conflicts with federal law, which considers the drug illegal in
any circumstance. Law enforcement agencies frequently oppose use of
medical marijuana.

A county ordinance allows dispensaries in unincorporated inland areas
such as Templeton but prohibits them from operating in a downtown
business district or within 1,000 feet of any school, library,
playground, park or youth recreation area.

Coastal zones of the county are excluded from the ordinance pending
approval from the state Coastal Commission, which has the final
authority on land-use laws in those areas.

A motion to postpone a decision at first deadlocked, with
Commissioners Bob Roos and Eugene Mehlschau voting instead to deny the permit.

"This is not a general retail use -- it's got issues and we should
disapprove it," said Roos, adding that the dispensary would go
against the character of the neighborhood.

"I recognize our decision won't be final because it can be appealed
and that it doesn't matter what we say," Roos said. "Why prolong it?"

However, when neither Commissioners Penny Rappa nor Anne Wyatt would
budge, Roos voted to consider the permit again Jan. 10.

In earlier public hearings, some community leaders, including
Templeton schools Superintendent Deborah Bowers, have argued that
Connella's plan is a poor fit for the conservative town and that it
would undermine the school district's anti-drug efforts.

At Monday's meeting, Rob Rosales of the Templeton Chamber of Commerce
said that a new church is now in the same area as the proposed
dispensary and that a day care center would likely be provided there.

Commissioners asked county planners to include information on the
possible day care center in their next report.