Nevada City Council bans medical marijuana dispensaries

 The City Council voted 3-2 for the prohibition at its Nov. 18 meeting. The passage of the new ordinance comes less than six months after Nevada City resident Harry Bennett applied for a business license to open a dispensary.

 The City Council responded to the application by first drafting a proposed 18-page ordinance to regulate the business. The draft was later pared down to nine pages while at the same time public opposition mounted against a medical marijuana dispensary.

 Mayor Reinette Senum and City Councilor Barbara Coffman felt an ordinance could be crafted to allow a clinic in Nevada City.

 Councilors Sally Harris and David McKay said they believe the city is too small for a dispensary.

 Councilor Robert Bergman said storefront dispensaries violate the spirit of Proposition 15, the voter-approved Compassionate Use Act.

 “We really have hashed this through,” Harris said before the vote.

 No one from the public spoke for or against the measure at Wednesday’s meeting. Bennett did not attend the meeting either.

 It was a different scenario at previous meetings. Council chambers were filled mostly with opponents of a dispensary. Those who testified said it would hurt the city’s businesses, send the wrong message to children, and bring unsavory characters to Nevada City.

 Supporters, including medical marijuana patients, said dispensaries are safe places to shop and that they would prefer getting their marijuana at a local place rather than travel to Colfax or Sacramento.

 Bergman said the ban would only apply to storefront dispensaries that might make a profit. Medical marijuana patients could still form co-ops as long as no one is making money, he said.

 “This only intends to stop a storefront presence. People can still do a co-op,” he said before voting for the ban.