Tonight, the Fairfax Town Council will have a second reading of an ordinance that was a long time coming regulating medical marijuana dispensaries in town.
The ordinance, which passed unanimously on the first reading in May, will limit the number of dispensaries to three (two additional dispensaries along with the only one currently in town – the ).
Additionally, the ordinance regulates where the dispensaries can be located. Town staff wanted to limit the possible locations to the downtown commercial area, but state law AB 2650 forbids dispensaries within 600 feet of a school, limiting the number of parcels where a possible facility could be located. The Marin Alliance will be grandfathered in. The area was then expanded out from the downtown central commercial zone to include along Sir Francis Drake Boulevard and Bolinas Avenue.
The final ordinance had very few changes from .
The full ordinance, with an extensive list of regulations, can be read here.
Because potential dispensaries are expected to be lined up, waiting to fill the two open spots when the temporary moratorium on new facilities is lifted and the ordinance goes into effect on July 1, the town has also developed a list of criteria for choosing from among the applicants. At its May meeting, the council added to its list of criteria a preference for local, community owners and sustainably-grown marijuana.
Potential dispensaries will be invited to submit applications once the ordinance goes into effect, but Town Manager Michael Rock said a number of interested parties have been closely following the proceedings.
Ironically, .
Fairfax has always been at the forefront of medical marijuana licensing, giving one of the first fully-licensed permits in the state.
“Look at how far we’ve come since all the doctors preferred Camels,” joked Sierra Snyder at the April meeting.
Bragman actually recused himself because of his past work with the Marin Alliance. And all the other councilmembers supported it.
Yes, the Alliance is going to court against the IRS over issues relating to business write-offs. I don't think they've actually paid any of taxes the IRS says they owe, yet, since they're fighting the issue in court.
Larry Bragman
My comment in the IJ specifically left approval of the Terrapin project up to the Use Permit process. Any application will go through a full public hearing process. I neither support nor oppose it at this point and it is inaccurate and unfair to represent otherwise. My pro bono work for the Marin Alliance has always been based upon my support for the privacy rights of patients who benefit from marijuana; not as a proponent of marijuana, medical or otherwise. That our drug laws are fundamentally flawed was recently endorsed by the Global Drug Policy Commission. ( http://www.globalcommissionondrugs.org/Report ) I should also state that my pro bono work hasn't been limited to this area. It is a privilege and duty of attorneys to provide such service to the community and my pro bono cases have also included representation of homeowners in foreclosure matters, landlord-tenant cases, criminal cases and consumer cases of all stripes. I frankly agree with your point that the Marin Alliance is not a monopoly and said so in my comments from the floor. I also urged caution to the council in drafting the ordinance. That being said, the dispensary ordinance, which for the first time limits then number and size of such businesses, was approved by a unanimous council other than me. Whether you support me or not, I believe the public deserves a discussion of the issues based upon the facts and the record which are both noticeably absent from your posts. Larry Bragman
Interestingly, while traveling through Colorado last summer (which also has legal "medical" marijuana), I was amazed at the number of pot clubs in small towns. Makes Fairfax look like a prudish place! One last comment. Let's not kid ourselves that the legalization of "Medical" Marijuana pretty much made pot legal in California. I fully support medical marijuana. However, the pot heads, recreational users, and those who stand to profit have made a mockery of "medical" marijuana. There are dozens of doctors advertising for for cheap prescription cards. SF Weekly and other weeklies have dozens of ads for cheap pot. I have little doubt that I could easily get a "medical" marijuana card, even though I'm in good health (for migraines, "chronic pain").
To me the council coming up with and allowing ideas/businesses to come into town would not be Apathy but just the opposite. Apathy would be not allowing businesses into town that could boost our local economy because YOU don't like the way it might affect YOU ! If someone could PROVE to u that this would be good for the community and all the biz in town, would you be okay with it then ? Somehow I think not.
The Marin Alliance may at one time been a positive entity in Fairfax. I had an unpleasant experience with this club and its staff and owner. The owner of this club has publicly has lied about my character, sent someone to intimidate me at my place of business, divulged medical information about me. Instead of dealing with a problem they rather spread lies and misinformation to keep the marin patients in the cash cow status. I was a member of the MArin alliance for nearly 2 years. HAVE ANY OF YOU EVEN STEPPED INTO THIS CLUB? or any of these clubs in Marin? There HAS BEEN like it or not, a monopoly here in FAirfax loosely supported by prior fairfax administrations... So to say...oh gee there is monopoly, is when Marin alliance has been fighting so hard to keep out any other club from coming into Marin... I know other club owners that had problems dealing with the alliance. I have sat for 3 and a half hours at a fairfax town meeting to get my 3 minutes to speak to the council to express my feelings about this club. All the while Lynnette is yelling obscenities and saying how crazy I am. THe town council was complaining on how much time they spent already on this issue (20 hours total) and should wait till that prop 13 to pass so its decided for us. It was lazy then and it is inexcusable now. This is serious, peoples lives have been affected by the malaise of the council and the sheer greed of power and money of the alliance.