Medical pot shop ‘just doesn’t fit’ here
A medical marijuana collective could be coming to Ramona. How residents feel about that and body-worn cameras on deputies were discussed at Lt. Richard Williams’ Citizen Advisory Group meeting in the sheriff’s Ramona station.
Among those attending were advisory group members Celeste Young and Kim Lasley, who is also a school district trustee; Don Wendt, president of Ramona Trails Association; Jim Piva, chair of Ramona Community Planning Group; Don Scott, Community Emergency Response Team (CERT); Jeff Funk, board chair of Ramona Food & Clothes Closet; Arthur Blanck, Ramona Churches Group; and two students from Ramona High School.
According to the county’s Planning and Development Services, a building permit application has been submitted for a medical marijuana collective in a building at 1210 Olive St. The proposed site is a one-story house in an industrial-zoned area.
“This is going to become a magnet,” said Piva when stating his opposition to a medical pot shop in Ramona.
Only one such establishment exists in the unincorporated county and that is in El Cajon, he noted. For the county to have the second one in Ramona where roads pose safety risks “just doesn’t fit,” he said.
Piva later told the Sentinel: “Folks from throughout the county will be driving to Ramona, no fear with our roads, possibly high on marijuana.”
Others at the meeting, including the lieutenant, also expressed public safety concerns.
The applicant for the medical marijuana collective, Michael D. Sherlock, does not have to present the plans to the planning group, said PDS staff.
To receive approval, the applicant must go through a two-pronged process as required under the County Medical Marijuana Facility Ordinance, adopted in 2010 and amended in 2011.
To operate the shop, the applicant must receive:
A building permit from PDS after proving the project meets all zoning requirements — collectives can only be located in industrially-zoned areas and cannot be within 1,000 feet of schools, playgrounds, parks, churches, recreation centers, youth centers, residences or other medical marijuana facilities; and
An operating certificate from the sheriff’s department’s licensing division after it performs background checks and reviews compliance with all requirements.
“The Ramona sheriff’s station will provide recommendations regarding additional safety and security measures for the collective facility that are in addition to the minimum requirements as outlined in the ordinance,” Williams said in an email to the Sentinel.
The lieutenant said the sheriff’s department will consider comments and concerns from the public before issuance of a licensing certificate.
According to PDS, the applicant is proposing interior remodeling to create a storage/break room, restroom, manager office, and dispensary/reception/safe room.
Williams is also seeking the public’s opinions on body-worn cameras for deputies. County supervisors recently voted to take bids for cameras that can be worn on deputies’ uniforms.
Williams said the department must decide when the cameras should be on and when they should be turned off.
“It’s not going to be perfect,” he said. “If you keep it on to catch everything, you’re going to catch everything.”
Some at the meeting said the cameras will help protect deputies and reduce false complaints, and lead to more accountability on both sides — the public and law enforcement. Williams, however, said that to run the cameras 24/7 will require tremendous data storage.
The cost for the cameras and accessories is expected to be more than $1 million a year, not including the electronic storage, according to the county.
“I think a lot of the burden is going to end up on the taxpayer,” said Williams.
He is seeking opinions from the community about the cameras. Call Barbara Wallace, crime prevention specialist, at 760-738-2425.