Advisory Council Urges Permanent Ordinance for Medical Marijuana Dispensaries

Members of the Fair Oaks Community Planning Advisory Council asked residents last night their opinion on the proposed Sacramento County urgency ordinance for local marijuana dispensary business licenses and proper regulation.

Despite resident's apparent contrasting views on many of the inherent logistics surrounding allowing dispensaries in Fair Oaks, most agreed the inevitable inclusion of these businesses should require a permanent zoning ordinance and regulation versus an urgency ordinance, said CPAC member Ralph Carhart.

Carhart explained though ordinance will likely be given, county supervisors will also have plenty to consider when issuing it.

"The concepts behind urgency ordinances come down to three main issues: location, operational standards and one having to do with cultivation," Carhart said.

On the topic of location, Carhart said, dispensaries would be restricted by specific zones, meaning the businesses would only be able to operate in areas much like liquor stores - they would have to be at least 300 feet from residential areas and at least 1,000 feet from schools and parks. Residents and council members were also concerned with an inordinant amount of dispensaries popping up throughout the area if and when an ordinance is approved.

When it came to operational standards, Carhart again explained the dispensaries could follow similar standards liquor stores already do.

"They (the council) wanted people to come, make their purchases and leave," Carhart said. "They wanted no peripheral activity going on."

As far as the cultivation of products were concerned attending parties were nearly unanimous in believing the less actual growing going on in the buildings, the better. Carhart explained the issue boiled down to the hope that dispensaries would delegate as much of the marijuana cultivation and growing to the outdoors as possible so as to minimize electricity output.

The council also addressed the issue of the sale of "edibles" or food products made with marijuana or its extracted tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).

"People couldn't understand why there was a restriction on the edibles," Carhart said.

Under California Code Section 114285-114286, a health permit is required for businesses when food is given or sold to the public. This includes pre-packaged and/or cooked foods.

At the end of the meeting concerns were voiced on forseeable problems that have potential for escalation when dispensaries begin operating legally.

"One is safety, another is security, compatibility with the environment and one is cost recovery," Carhart said. "These are all questions that need to be answered with the ordinance."