Article Contributed on: 9/16/2009 11:21:22 AM
Cities in Adams County are scrambling to develop new guidelines and restrictions in response to a growing number of applications for medical marijuana dispensaries.
Thornton and Northglenn are the latest to confront the emergence of medical marijuana shops, which provide the drug for people who are approved to use it for medicinal purposes. Commerce City has been looking at how to regulate the shops since June.
The City of Northglenn gave preliminary approval to new restrictions on medical marijuana dispensaries last week. Among other things, the ordinance sets up guidelines for distances in which the dispensaries can be located.
Those restrictions, approved Sept. 10 by a 4-3 vote, state the shops must be at least 200 feet from residential properties, 500 feet from schools, 500 feet from public parks, pools and recreation facilities and 1,000 feet from any halfway house or correctional facility. Dispensaries also would be required to provide certain security measures at the stores, such as surveillance cameras, safes and exterior lighting.
The city moved quickly on the regulations after a dispensary called Green Medicals opened last month in the Garland Center near East 108th Avenue and Washington Street. Shortly after the opening of the store - which is tucked away behind a cell phone business - council placed a moratorium on all marijuana shops in the city.
Green Medicals CEO and co-founder Chuck McGinness, who opened the small dispensary Aug. 12, said he was given a summons for public nuisance shortly after the moratorium was passed. But the business is still in operation and he said the city recently issued him a temporary sales tax license for Green Medicals.
McGinness, however, said he's worried the city will force him to shut down the operation and is exploring setting up similar dispensaries in Dacono and Broomfield.
Thornton City Council voted Sept. 8 to issue a moratorium ending Oct. 28 on all permits and licenses for the dispensaries until it can discuss the matter in further detail. Among other things, the city will review potential impacts on neighborhoods, said city manager Jack Ethredge.
Commerce City also is considering placing similar restrictions on marijuana dispensaries, albeit somewhat stricter. Staffers with the city drew up a set of zoning guidelines this summer after a proprietor expressed interest in setting up a shop within city limits.
Under the guidelines of the proposal, the dispensaries could not be located within 1,000 feet of residences, churches, schools, mobile homes, child care facilities, rehab facilities, parks or halfway houses. Similar regulations currently are in place for sexually-oriented businesses in Commerce City, such as strip clubs.
Medical marijuana dispensaries have been sprouting up in the metro area since state voters passed Amendment 20 in 2000, which allows for the legal use of medical marijuana.