Santa Monica Ready for Next Step Following Medical Marijuana Ruling

With Santa Monica's moratorium on medical marijuana dispensaries set to expire this fall, a state ruling has paved the way for a city decision on whether pot shops should be allowed.

The California Supreme Court upheld bans on medical marijuana dispensaries by local governments in its written opinion released Monday. In the ruling, the court found that municipalities can use zoning to ban medical marijuana shops within city and county borders.

The court’s ruling also upholds the decisions of 200 cities and counties to enact medical marijuana dispensary bans throughout the state.

There's currently an "emergency" moratorium on pot shops in Santa Monica, which expires this fall.

See: Santa Monica Says No Permits for Pot Shops

Santa Monica's principal planner Paul Foley said Tuesday city staff will consult the city attorney's office and then approach the city council with a staff report on the court decision this summer.

Foley said the council will decide whether to continue the moratorium on a permanent basis or "take another approach which may include setting up regulations."

The city held a public meeting in February, where as many as 25 people attended.

"I got the sense that the people at this particular meeting wouldn’t want to ban them in the city," Foley said. Foley added that the emergency moratorium was enacted during a "confusing legal climate," and that it does not necessarily forecast any future decision.

City staff will continue to seek input from residents on if they want to allow medical marijuana dispensaries in Santa Monica, he said.

-Patch Editor Toni McAllister contributed to this report.