Ordinance 3274-12 - Laserfiche WebLink

E!/E?ETT ORDINANCE NO. 3274-12 An Ordinance relating to medical cannabis, amending Ordinance No. 3232-11, and extending the moratorium on collective gardens an additional six months. Whereas,the City Council finds that: 1. On July 20, 2011,the City Council held a public hearing and adopted a moratorium relating to medical cannabis collective gardens ("collective gardens"); and 2. The moratorium, as enacted, is effective until July 20, 2012; and 3. State law allows, under certain conditions, collective gardens and provides the City the authority to adopt zoning and health and safety regulations relating to collective gardens; and 4. The federal government asserts that regulatory laws allowing or facilitating medical cannabis activities violate the federal Controlled Substances Act, 21 U.S.C. § 801 et seq.,will not provide legal protection to medical cannabis patients and providers, and will expose the City's officials and employees to possible criminal prosecution; and 5. Unregulated collective gardens are anticipated to have negative secondary impacts including a possible increase of criminal activity in the area of the collective gardens, a possible increase in illegal drug activity in the area of the collective gardens, and possible illegal distribution of medical cannabis and may present health and safety concerns related to the handling of chemicals used in the growing and processing of cannabis,the ventilation of collective gardens and related air quality issues, and the electrical wiring of collective garden facilities; and 6. The current conflict between federal and state law prevents the City from fully regulating the negative secondary impacts and health and safety concerns of collective gardens; and Page 1 of 5