Faced with the choice of acting immediately to adopt a citizen’s initiative to allow medical marijuana dispensaries in the town, setting a date for a special election for the residents to vote on the issue, or delaying their decision for 30 days, the Yucca Valley Town Council voted for delay at its meeting last night. Managing editor Tami Roleff explains why…
Council members agreed to try and negotiate changes to the citizen’s initiative with its main proponent, Jason Elsasser, founder of the Yucca Valley Medical Marijuana Resource Group. “There is not one single thing in this measure that can’t work out.” Some of the items the Council will be trying to negotiate are: limiting the dispensaries to commercial and industrial service zoning districts, and away from parks, libraries, childcare, and residential areas; determining how permits to operate medical marijuana dispensaries shall be awarded; signs and hours of the dispensaries; and background checks, surveillance, and alarm systems. Some residents, including the founder of the Marijuana Anti-Prohibition Project Lanny Swerdlow, chastised the Town Council for its procrastination, since a dispensary had operated in the town for three years before the Town Council forced it to close in 2013. “You’ve had three years’ experience with the medical marijuana dispensaries without any problems.” The Town Council’s ad hoc committee, legal counsel, town staff, and initiative proponents will meet to work out a compromise ordinance to present to the Town Council at its meeting on February 17, at which time the Council is expected to set a date for a special election to allow residents to vote on whether to allow dispensaries in town limits.
In other business last night, the Council approved nominations of Charles McHenry, Steve Whitten, Jeff Evans, and Vickie Bridenstine to the Planning Commission. Because only two applications had been received for the four openings on the Parks and Rec Commission, the Council voted to extend the period for recruitment.
