Studio City NC Votes Against 'Gentle Ban' on Pot Shops
Could Echo Park and Silver Lake be far behind?
Medical marijuana dispensaries won Wednesday night—at least in Studio City.
Within just a few miles of this Los Angeles suburb there are more places to buy pot than there are Starbucks, 7-Elevens and McDonald’s combined.
After a two-hour lively and passionate discussion among about 60 people that included testimonies from medical marijuana users, an assistant city attorney and pot shop owners, the Studio City Neighborhood Council rejected the idea of supporting a proposed citywide “gentle ban” of the dispensaries.
The Council voted four in favor, five against and one abstention to show support of a law being considered by the Los Angeles City Council that would prohibit all medical marijuana businesses citywide, but does not ban access to medical marijuana by patients who need it.
“Clearly this is a very difficult and emotional issue,” said Council President John Walker, who abstained from the vote.
The North Hollywood Division of the Los Angeles Police Department has seen no increase in crime around the marijuana distribution sites, and even the SCNC’s new Crime and Safety Chairman Richard Adams was against the proposal.
Special Assistant City Attorney Jane Usher said more than 70 lawsuits are pending against the city because of their attempts at regulating the businesses. She said the lottery system proposed by the city, and the existing ordinance will never be implemented.
“We are also dealing with federal law saying that you can’t sell it, and they are going up and down the state shutting them down,” Usher said. “We came up with an ordinance that tried to regulate them and it’s one that we can’t enforce. Our ordinance will never work—ever.”
Usher said her office prefers to “get out of the avalanche of lawsuits” brought on by the marijuana distributors, costing a conservative estimate of $5 million so far.
Usher said the Los Angeles proposal is “cutting edge” compared to the more than 90 other cities in the state that banned pot shops outright. The Los Angeles City Council wants to be sensitive to patients who need medical marijuana so although businesses would be banned, any cardholding patient or primary caregiver can grow their own or go to a licensed healthcare facility.
“Now is the time to clear the slate and start all over again,” Usher said.
Board member Ron Taylor, who said he “reluctantly voted against the motion,” said he was troubled with the vagueness of the motion and the “gentle ban” plan. “I would like to see that these dispensaries are not like cigar stores where people come to smoke.”
Fellow board member Jeffrey Carter said bluntly, “This is not a gentle ban, it is a ban. There’s no other way to get this material. I recommend we not adopt this.”
Sarkin said she was concerned that many businesses within the vicinity of the marijuana dispensaries are suffering because people don’t want to bring children nearby, there is a smell, and sometimes customers coming out are rude.
“You have to think who else is being affected by this,” Sarkin said.
The Echo Park and Silver Lake Neighborhood Councils have yet to take up this issue, despite the presence of marijuana dispensaries in both communities.
It will be interesting to see if in this election year that changes
In This article
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Starbucks Coffee
12170 Ventura Blvd, Studio City, CA -
7-Eleven
11401 Ventura Blvd, Studio City, CA -
McDonald's
11970 Ventura Blvd, Studio City, CA -
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lamedicalmarijuana
4:30 am on Friday, February 3, 2012
Isn't it interesting Jane Ushner the city attorney tells people that medical marijuana facilities must be banned because they are federally illegal, WHILE at the same time asking people to do illegal actions via medical marijuana caregiver programs which is STILL federally illegal.
Jane Ushner please stop asking for a ban on the grounds that it is federally illegal, while you simultaneously tell people to do other illegal actions concerning medical marijuana!
Jonah
9:36 am on Friday, February 3, 2012
At least backyard grows won't turn up other kinds of drugs
such as some facilities do. No one can deny this.
Lisa Sarkin
5:00 pm on Wednesday, February 29, 2012
The SCNC did not vote against the gentle ban on MMDs, there was no motion supporting or opposing the ordinance.