[420 Girl]

A proposed 45-day moratorium on medical marijuana dispensaries in unincorporated Orange County failed by one vote Tuesday as the county prepares for the possible legalization of marijuana by voters in November’s statewide election.

The county ordinance, which would have immediately banned new dispensaries and already existing dispensaries without the proper permits, needed to be approved by 4/5 of the board of supervisors.

Supervisors John Moorlach and Shawn Nelson voted against the emergency ordinance, arguing there wasn’t an emergency to warrant immediate adoption of the freeze on dispensaries.

Instead county staff was ordered to come up with an ordinance by Nov. 9 which would regulate medical marijuana cooperatives.

The Board of Supervisors also directed staff to come up with a plan if Prop. 19 is approved by voters in the Nov. 2 statewide election. Prop. 19 would legalize marijuana across California and task local cities and counties with how to tax and regulate it.

Currently, Orange County does not have any laws on the books for regulating the permitting or establishment of medical marijuana collectives – and therein lies the problem.

According to county staffers, an estimated 11 medical marijuana dispensaries are operating in unincorporated Orange County. None of the cooperatives is permitted under county land use permits, according to a county staff report, and only one applied for a permit, but quickly withdrew the application.

But without rules in place, the county has little teeth to dictate what can and cannot be done about dispensaries, Orange County Public Works Director Jess Carbajal said.


NewsHawk: User: 420 MAGAZINE
Source: The Orange County Register
Author: KIMBERLY EDDS
Copyright: 2010 Orange County Register Communications
Contact: kedds@ocregister.com
Website: http://www.ocregister.com/articles/m...y-medical.html


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