Sun Citians’ interest in where Surprise decides to locate its four medical marijuana dispensaries is a clear one: safety.
Thursday night, Surprise planning commissioners discussed ground rules for locating the dispensaries and public safety concerns for both those frequenting the establishments and others who live near the facilities.
In November, Arizona voters approved Proposition 203, allowing doctors to prescribe medical marijuana to certain people faced with debilitating diseases. Subsequently, state health officials established 126 Community Health Analysis Areas to ensure even distribution and clustering of medical-marijuana dispensaries and cultivation facilities.
Chris Boyd, Surprise’s assistant director of community and economic development, said Surprise encompasses four CHAAs, which includes the entire city and areas around the Sun Cities.
Surprise planning commissioners Thursday night approved stringent zoning measures for these storefronts to set up in some of Surprise’s less desirable areas.
The decision did not come easily.
Voting 5-2, the commissioners decided to allow medical-marijuana dispensaries to operate in heavy commercial and industrial areas, rather than near the city’s major commercial corridors and residential areas.
Some of the proposed locations for Surprise’s medical-marijuana facilities include locations just east and north of Bell Road and Grand Avenue, near Litchfield and Dysart roads and near Jomax Road and Grand Avenue.
The plan, which was developed by city officials, was met with dissatisfaction as some commissioners argued locating dispensaries in downtrodden, unlit areas would not be convenient or safe during nighttime hours.
One proposed area under C-2 zoning included a location at Bell and El Mirage roads near the old Surprise City Hall, which city officials believed would not be suitable with the age-restricted Sunflower RV Resort nearby.
While state health officials want to emulate the successes of California’s longtime medical-marijuana program, they also want to strike a balance in addressing safety issues.
Boyd said city officials have taken a close look at problems in Los Angeles on issues related to loss of business, noise and criminal activity near medical-marijuana dispensaries.
Boyd was quick to point out that while medical-marijuana users were not to blame for all the transgressions and crime, there was a correlation between the problems and locations of the dispensaries.
“This is unchartered territory for us,” he said, noting Surprise will take a conservative approach to its medical marijuana program. “We really don’t know what to expect in Arizona.”
Dispensaries, which can now occupy 2,500 square feet rather than 2,000 square feet of space, must be 3,000 feet from one another. The ordinance also calls for a 1,500-foot buffer from schools and parks, and a 500-foot buffer near homes and houses of worship.
The CHAAs also allows designated caregivers of terminally ill patients to cultivate marijuana in their patients’ homes, without being subjected to mandates that require those wishing to cultivate their own medical marijuana to live at least 25 miles away from a dispensary.
Commissioner John Hallin voiced concerns about having medical marijuana in the hands of caregivers, who he believes should be required to have a conditional use permit as they may try to sell it out of their patients’ homes.
“I think we can control dispensaries and growing areas, but we can’t control what’s going on at these homes,” Hallin said.
Jeff Mihelich, Surprise’s director of community and economic development, said no other home businesses are required a conditional use permit to operate in Surprise. Mihelich also said state and city officials would know where the homes of terminally ill patients are located to ensure their safety and that no criminal activity takes place.
The issue of medical marijuana hits close to home for Councilman Mike Woodard, who lost his wife several years ago to ovarian cancer. Woodard, who is being treated for skin cancer, has battled other forms of cancer on three separate occasions.
The 13-year resident said planning commissioners and city officials need to retool their opinions of medical marijuana and not think of it as the illegal drug young people take to get high. He said he believes there’s legitimacy to medical marijuana for medical purposes and said the city ought to allow dispensaries to operate in areas more convenient to the elderly.
Planning commissioners touched on numerous items relating to medical marijuana, but agreed hours of operation at dispensaries can be decided on a case-by-case basis.
The proposal goes to the City Council Tuesday for a vote. The state is expected to publish its final rules March 28. Qualified patients and caregivers can begin filling out applications for medical marijuana use in April before the state begins accepting dispensary applications May 1.
Duncan20903 posted at 9:24 am on Sat, Feb 5, 2011.
What in the world makes Mr. Hallin think he's in control now?
Why are their people who have the Behind the Looking Glass belief that there's some sort of shortage of cannabis out here, and that the laws of the epic failure of public policy that we like to call the war on (some) drugs.
Why not engage a couple of consultants from the inside so that your rules actually make some sense? Thanks for allowing cultivation that you didn't have to. Did you make the common Know Nothing lawmakers mistake and count the number of stalks for your limits? May you be shocked and stunned when you find out what a determined grower can do with a single plant. You see, someone with experience and knowledge would have told you to limit canopy size or light wattage. 100 plants in a 10 x 10 space will yield just about the same as 1 plant will. Counting stalks is just plain silly.
doctorK posted at 6:27 am on Sat, Feb 5, 2011.
The US Government should overcome its own "denial" with respect to Medicinal Cannabis, which can serve as a safe alternative to many pharmaceutical chemicals on the market. I believe it is very positive that the President acknowledges the "validity" of this debate. Whenever the validity of the debate is recognized, such a "recognition" invariably implies that our side has a "valid argument"; this being so, it follows that our side (in favor of Cannabis/Medicinal Cannabis Legalization) has a very real possibility of winning this "perfectly legitimate debate", for otherwise it would not be a "debate". For example, to even suggest that Cannabis Plant has no medicinal properties is not even a "rational" thing to do; as a "recreational" substance, Cannabis is incomparably safer than alcohol! Few people even know that one out of five people in Britain are expected to live to 100 years old, while Cannabis consumption in Britain is the highest in Europe. Look at Canada where the Cannabis "laws" are much more "liberal" than in the United States, yet the criminality, and especially violent crime, are much lower than in this country. And if all this were not enough, it is scientifically proven that Cannabis use (as opposed to alcohol use) suppresses violent urges and behaviors. All this is true even if the President is "personally opposed" to legalization (at least for now). But we cannot sit on our butts and passively expect positive developments to occur. We must participate actively, write comments at the news articles, write to politicians, sign petitions, register to vote, etc. Let's ask our politicians why, in this time of rising deficits, they would rather talk about taxing mother's milk than about slashing the so-called "marijuana enforcement" budget! I specifically urge all the young people to talk to their parents and grandparents and educate them about Cannabis vs. alcohol and hard drugs. As the logical evidence in our favor inexorably accumulates, the "qualitative shift" will occur in our common consciousness, and we will win this "perfectly legitimate" debate!