[420 Girl]

The Town Council voted unanimously Tuesday night to extend for a year the moratorium on new medical marijuana dispensaries in Yucca Valley.

The moratorium also prohibits any existing business from adding medical marijuana to its operations, or for the one Yucca Valley health collective that distributes marijuana to expand the medical marijuana component of its operations.

In August, the Planning Commission voted 4-1 against an outright ban on dispensaries.

The permitting of medical marijuana dispensaries initially was considered as a land-use issue last December in response to the opening of California Alternative Medicinal Solutions. Town staff was directed to draw up development code and zoning policies.

The current moratorium expires Nov. 23, and so far no land use policy has been explored in public meetings.

Town staff is requesting the additional year to complete its study of the issue.

Mayor Pro Tem Chad Mayes supported the extension, but said he had hoped the issue would have been resolved by now.

He also said he was disappointed with the Planning Commission, but added the council needed to give the commissioners better direction on what the land use decision should be.

Mayor Frank Luckino was in favor of the moratorium, but was also impatient with the process. “We have extended this for one year, and I want it to be completed this year,” said Luckino.

“The Planning Commission has already weighed in on this and maybe it needs to come back to the council to put this to bed.”

Councilman George Huntington suggested subjecting the matter to the public vote by putting it on a ballot in June. This was well received by his fellow council members.

“It would be a good idea to put it on the ballot, and see what the people of Yucca Valley think,” Councilwoman Lori Herbel agreed.

“If it goes to the ballot then it will be the people’s choice,” observed Councilman Bill Neeb. “If they want it, how are we going to deal with it? We’ll be standing here flat footed. We need to be prepared for all contingencies.”

Neeb defended the Planning Commission’s efforts to thoroughly investigate the matter and considered it time well spent compared to “knee-jerk reactions.”

After the council approved the moratorium extension, Mayor Luckino recommended the issue to be brought back to the council, bypassing the Planning Commission.

Mayes suggested a target date of the first week in December.

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