MEDICAL POT CLUBS UNDER SCRUTINY

Two of San Francisco's better-known medical pot clubs have been put on
notice by The City as officials grapple with the burgeoning industry amidst
growing neighborhood protests.

The Green Cross in the Mission must make major changes to regain its permit
and the Mendo Healing clinic may not relocate to Potrero Avenue while The
City's current moratorium is in effect, city planning officials have ruled.

In April, the Board of Supervisors imposed a 45-day moratorium -- that has
since been extended -- as it began to sort out how to regulate The City's
medical marijuana business that functions with little legal supervision.
Three pieces of legislation are currently being floated detailing health
and safety rules for 40-plus medicinal marijuana facilities, which include
permit requirements. Although both of these clubs had taken out business
permits, many others have not.

"I do, in a lot of ways, feel I'm being penalized while doing the right
thing," said Kevin Reed, who operates the Green Cross club on 18th Street.
He conceded his 250 to 300 clients a day require some managing to avoid
inconveniencing neighbors, but said he's taken many steps to improve
security and minimize traffic and other nuisances since his permit was
suspended earlier this summer.

He said the long list of requirements laid out on Friday by City Zoning
Administrator Lawrence Badiner seemed "drastic" -- particularly eliminating
the separate office he uses to oversee security cameras and shutting down
at 6 p.m. on weekdays instead of 8 p.m.

Paula Medina, a bartender at The Liberties nearby, said she didn't expect
opponents would be satisfied with anything less than closure, adding that
in recent weeks improvements regarding neighborhood impact had been made.
"People just want them gone," she said.

Dan Sider, of the Planning Department, said officials will be taking public
comment on recommendations for Green Cross until Sept. 12 before sending
pot club before the Board of Appeals for a hearing on Sept. 21.

Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi, who introduced one of three competing sets of
regulations to protect the patients under voter-backed state Proposition
215 while minimizing problems in the vicinity, said he has questions about
the latest actions, some of which appear to go beyond any of the proposed
restrictions.

A representative of the Mendo Healing club said its South of Market outlet
had closed this summer, but owner David Moore had maintained a delivery
service since then and had not yet committed to opening a new business at
595 Potrero Ave.