Nipomo marijuana dispensary shot down
November 4, 2015
Supervisors Frank Mecham, Bruce Gibson, Adam Hill, Lynn Compton and Debbie Arnold
By KAREN VELIE
The San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors voted 3-2 Tuesday against a proposed medical marijuana dispensary in Nipomo.
Supervisors Lynn Compton, Debbie Arnold and Frank Mecham voted against the facility primarily because of crime and traffic concerns. Supervisors Adam Hill and Bruce Gibson voted in favor of the project arguing that because it was in compliance with land use requirements, it should be approved.
The applicant, Ethnobotanica, is one of more than 100 medical marijuana companies delivering to San Luis Obispo County. Proponents of the proposed brick and mortar pot shop said that some users are uncomfortable having weed delivered to their homes. Supporters also argued that there is a stigma on users because there is not a physical store.
San Luis Obispo County Sheriff Ian Parkinson voiced his opposition to the dispensary because of crime and law enforcement staffing concerns.
“I do not think the location is something that I can service,” Parkinson said. “It is on the outskirts of my jurisdiction. The response time is not going to be good.”
SLO County District Attorney Dan Dow asked the supervisors to wait until state regulations on marijuana are more established before approving a dispensary in the county.
Both Gibson and Hill argued that if the board did not vote in favor of the dispensary, the applicant could file a costly lawsuit.
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