In an about-face from seven years ago when medical marijuana dispensaries were outlawed everywhere in Carson, Mayor Jim Dear asked planning commissioners to consider allowing a few to open.
But the Planning Commission last week narrowly rejected Dear’s request on a 5-4 vote, leaving the political hot-potato in the City Council’s court if it wants to pick the issue up later.
“If it’s a land-use issue, then send it back. But, if it’s a social issue, it’s not something we want before us,” Commissioner Charlotte Brimmer said when a proposed zoning amendment that would allow the pot shops was addressed Tuesday.
But four commissioners disagreed with Brimmer and the others opposed to the measure asked for more time to research the issue before voting.
Chairman Loa Pele Faletogo said the staff’s proposed ordinance was too vague and unconvincing. The ordinance was modeled on one recently approved in Long Beach, and it would have limited the number of dispensaries to three. It also would have required voters to approve sales taxes on marijuana before dispensaries could be opened.
“It seems to me that the essence of this ordinance is to find ways to help people,” Faletogo said. “But somebody’s got to tell me what are those ways. I don’t think we have enough information to just deny it right now.”
The request from Dear is surprising because he was on the council in 2007 when they unanimously banned dispensaries from opening anywhere in town. In 2010, Dear and the council went a step further and declared the city “drug-free,” erecting 10 drug-free zone signs. But, after three dispensaries approached him seeking to open, Dear asked planning commissioners to consider allowing them, according to a staff report.
Though Dear didn’t speak about the measure, longtime ally Zeke Vidaurri advocated for it Tuesday.
Advertisement
“We have 1.6 million people incarcerated as a result of nonviolent drug offenses,” Vidaurri said. “That’s preposterous. We’re arresting black and brown people disproportionately, and that’s what we should be looking at.”
Councilwoman Lula Davis-Holmes attended the meeting, asking commissioners to deny the change and suggesting that Dear received campaign contributions from dispensaries in exchange for his advocacy.
“It’s a federal offense to have these dispensaries,” Davis-Holmes said. “Don’t go into this blindfolded. We have an ordinance in place that we voted unanimously on that says we didn’t want marijuana dispensaries.
“How close are you going to put this to our kids? We just had our kids mobilize for Red Ribbon Week and we said we’re a drug-free city. What are we telling our kids? We’re drug-free until someone says they’ll fund your campaign.”
Carson's Planning Commission denies new medical marijuana dispensaries
No comments:
Post a Comment