Pot shop applicants hire consultant
Applicants for medical marijuana collectives are looking into how they can alleviate community concerns and proceed once the county moratorium on such businesses expires next spring, according to a consultant representing them.
Chris Brown said he represents eight applicants for dispensaries or cultivation sites – four that had received building permits before the moratorium adopted March 16, and four that were in the process of obtaining permits. About two of those are in Ramona, he said, but he declined to specify which ones.
Brown noted that he does not represent ShowGrow, the only operating medical marijuana dispensary in Ramona at 736 Montecito Way. ShowGrow received its operating license before the moratorium but has plans to add cultivation.
The consultant may be setting up a meeting with the Ramona Community Planning Group’s Medical Marijuana Ad Hoc Subcommittee. At the planning group’s July 7 meeting, chair Jim Piva announced that Brown had asked to meet with him last month but did not say why. Piva said he was surprised when Brown brought up the issues of medical marijuana collectives, as well as development of Cumming Ranch – topics that Piva said had he known, he never would have met one-on-one.
After informing the planning group, Piva said members decided Brown could meet with the subcommittee. A meeting had not been scheduled before this issue went to press.
Earlier this year the planning group appealed to the county, concerned that Ramona would become a magnet for medical marijuana as several applicants had found industrial-zoned sites in the community that complied with the county’s medical marijuana ordinance.
At the recommendation of county Supervisor Dianne Jacob, who represents Ramona in District 2, the Board of Supervisors adopted a temporary 45-day moratorium on medical marijuana collectives, instructing staff to look into modifying the ordinance and considering a ban. On April 27, supervisors extended the moratorium to 10 months and 15 days to give staff more time.
At that time operating certificates were pending for dispensaries at 618 Pine St. and 1210 Olive St. A building application had been submitted for 2471 Montecito Road, and a group had been eyeing property at 2338 Montecito Road for medical marijuana cultivation.
Brown said his clients had followed the process set up by county ordinance.
“It’s a little frustrating to my guys because they followed the rules,” he said.
Brown said he understands one concern is people going to dispensaries and driving the roads under the influence of marijuana, but he would like to provide facts. He also suggested there could be a compromise.
“We have potential ideas about reducing the number of dispensaries,” he said.
In November California voters will decide whether to legalize recreational marijuana under Proposition 64, known as the California Marijuana Legalization Initiative, which would also impose a state excise tax on retail sales of marijuana equal to 15 percent of sales price, and state cultivation taxes on marijuana of $9.25 per ounce of flowers and $2.75 per ounce of leaves. It exempts medical marijuana from some taxation.
Jacob, who supports a ban on medical marijuana dispensaries in the unincorporated areas, noting there are about 14 dispensaries in the City of San Diego, said the state initiative will not have any effect on the moratorium.
In other matters, Brown said he had been contacted by investors who worked with the late Gene Driscoll on Cumming Ranch, a proposed development of 125 residential lots and 457 acres of biological open space on 683 acres, approximately one-quarter of a mile northwest of the state Route 67 and Highland Valley Road intersection. The project was approved by supervisors in January 2013. Driscoll died last July. Brown said the investors are interested in moving the project forward.