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Proposition 203 has City Planners Preparing for Pot Dispensaries

Arizona Republic: “Planning officials across the state have been discussing and drafting zoning restrictions for medical-marijuana dispensaries for the past two months, in case voters approve Proposition 203, the Arizona Medical Marijuana Act. According to Prop. 203, local jurisdictions could impose ‘reasonable’ zoning restrictions for dispensaries. In an effort to provide a model that local jurisdictions can modify and follow, the League of Arizona Cities and Towns on Thursday released a uniform guideline for dispensary zoning restrictions.”

See “Cities preparing restrictions on marijuana dispensaries,” which has these interesting statements by Will Humble, the Director of the Arizona Department of Health Services:

““I don’t want to end up issuing a license for a dispensary next to their public pool or something, . . . If I allocate by county then I have an opportunity to provide more robust coverage in all parts of the state and minimize the potential for too many self-growers”

Tucson will consider a medical marijuana dispensary zoning ordinance at a city council meeting on November 9, 2010. Here are some of the restrictions contained in the proposed ordinance:

must be in areas zoned commercial
cannot be within 1,000 feet of another MMD, a school, church, drug treatment facility or a park
may not exceed 2,500 square feet
open 9 – 5 only
no drive through service
no delivery service
growing facilities limited to 3,000 square feet

Donors Send Millions to Defend Arizona Immigration Law

Wall St. Journal: “Arizona has attracted more than $3.6 million of donations to help defend its law to crack down on illegal immigration, with one whopping contribution—and thousands of smaller ones—from out of state. Timothy Mellon, an heir to a Pittsburgh steel and banking dynasty, has donated $1.5 million to a legal-defense fund established by Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer, according to the governor’s office.”

Medical Marijuana Vote Days Away in Arizona; ABC15 Investigation Goes Undercover in California

ABC 15: “In the November 2010 election, Arizona voters will decide whether or not to pass Proposition 203 , a proposal to permit the legal use of medical marijuana. The ABC15 investigators have gone undercover in California to explore the reasons why opponents worry it will bring more crime, substance abuse and corruption to our state, and why supporters say many seriously ill people will benefit if the proposition passes.”

Mesa Drafts Medical Marijuana Dispensary Rules

East Valley Tribune: “Even before Arizona voters decide whether to legalize medicinal marijuana, Mesa is setting up limits on where dispensaries could set up shop in the city. The City Council will limit the shops to commercial districts and restrict them from being within certain distances of each other, churches, schools, parks and more. . . . The limits will block the shops from opening in vast areas, zoning administrator Gordon Sheffield said.”

October 13, 2010, Poll of Likely Arizona Voters Says 52% Favor & 33% Oppose Proposition 203

Behavior Research Center’s October 13, 2010, Rocky Mountain Poll says “Among voters most likely to go to the polls, the numbers are similar, registering 52 percent for the measure and 33 percent opposed.”

See “Arizona Medical Marijuana Initiative Poised for Victory.”