[420 Girl]

A Monterey medical marijuana dispensary has been ordered by the court to close immediately, city officials said Friday.

Superior Court Judge Robert O'Farrell issued a preliminary injunction in favor of the city, requiring MyCaregiver Inc. at 554 Lighthouse Ave. to shut down, said Assistant Monterey City Attorney Christine Davi.

Davi said the order would to be finalized once signed by O'Farrell, which she expected to judge would do Friday.

O'Farrell's ruling came after hearing arguments from Davi and MyCaregiver's attorney, Jim Roberts of San Jose.

The judge found that MyCaregiver opened without city approval in violation of city zoning codes.

The dispensary remained open Friday afternoon. MyCaregiver director Jhonrico Carrnshimba, sitting outside the dispensary, said he had no comment.

Roberts said his clients plan to appeal the decision and would decide whether to stay open. Filing the appeal should suspend enforcement of O'Farrell's order and allow the dispensary to stay open, he said.

City officials sued MyCaregiver for allegedly violating zoning codes after learning in November the marijuana dispensary set up shop.

In filing a business license application, city officials said, the nature of MyCaregiver Inc.'s business was not fully disclosed and listed only as "Health care Cooperative/Individual & Family Services."

Carrnshimba has said the distribution of medical pot was covered on the application under "herbal remedies."

Roberts argued MyCaregiver is a private, nonprofit cooperative that complies with state law, and a business license or permit is not needed. State voters approved medical marijuana use in 1996.

In court, Roberts argued the same rules that apply to nonprofit groups such as the Boy Scouts of America apply to his clients' cooperative.

Davi said the injunction will main in effect during a city moratorium on applications for medical marijuana dispensaries, which the City Council adopted in February and extended this month.

The City Council directed staff to draft proposed regulations for dispensaries that would allow them or ban them. The regulations could be adopted by the council before the moratorium expires, Davi said.

Pacific Grove passed a similar 10-month moratorium, but asked city staff to present in May recommendations for regulating dispensaries or banning them.

Roberts said he would file the appeal after he receives a signed copy of O'Farrell's order.

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