Dennis RomeroUpdated at the bottom with the committee's momentous moves. First posted at 8 a.m.
Hope you're getting your rest this holiday weekend.
Because tomorrow's a big day for the medical marijuana scene in Los Angeles. The L.A. City Council's Planning and Land Use Management (PLUM) committee will take up all facets of proposed bans on medical cannabis in town.
A complete obliteration of Los Angeles' famous and numerous pot shops is on the table. There are two options that the committee will consider for its endorsement:
1). Imposing a “gentle ban” limited ban (PDF) proposed by city Councilman Paul Koretz. According his language it's a …
… more reasonable approach to compliance could include a limited immunity approach whereby the City proceeds forward with a ban on dispensaries but uses its prosecutorial discretion to abstain from any enforcement action against the limited number of dispensaries that do not violate a set of City Council imposed restrictions. This approach would protect neighborhoods while still assuring limited safe access for patients within the confines of ever evolving case law.
Seems that it remains to be seen how the survivors would be chosen.
Credit: Lauren Paulsen
2). Banning all dispensaries until California Supreme Court weighs in on a Long Beach case (Pack v. City of Long Beach) that prohibited that city from regulating pot shops in a way that's being done in L.A. too (PDF).
In any case, a medical marijuana advocate told the Weekly over the weekend to expect “fireworks” at the PLUM committee meeting.
Pot supporters will be out in force.
The meeting starts at 2:30 p.m. tomorrow at City Hall's Board of Public Works Roybal Hearing Room (Room 350), 200 N. Spring St. Info (PDF).
[Update at 6 p.m.]: The committee approved both avenues, which will go to the Public Safety Committee Friday before heading to the full council, according to City News Service.
According to City News:
[Councilman Jose] Huizar and fellow committee members Ed Reyes and Mitch Englander also disapproved of a separate plan that would have the city refrain from prosecuting a set of about 100 dispensaries that follow strict restrictions on where they could operate, the hours they could be open, and requirements for tight security.
Interesting.
Strangely, they're calling Huizar's more draconian proposal a “gentle ban” because, while outlawing dispensaries, it would, according to City News …
… allow mini-collectives of three or fewer patients to jointly grow their own marijuana at one location and would allow patients to transport cannabis.
Mkay.
Guess Koretz's proposal is the gentler ban.
[Added at 11:50 p.m.]: The Los Angeles Times says a “counterproposal” backed by Councilman Bill Rosendahl that would give a reprieve to 100 dispensaries — a move reminiscent of earlier attempts to outlaw all but 100 pot shops — was also approved but that key council members weren't giving it much hope.
[@dennisjromero / djromero@laweekly.com / @LAWeeklyNews]
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