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Atascadero council considering allowing some pot businesses

April 27, 2017

As Atascadero begins crafting its marijuana policy in the aftermath of Proposition 64, the city’s conservative leaning council is considering allowing some cannabis business to operate within the city limits.

On Tuesday, the Atascadero City Council indicated it may support permitting marijuana delivery services, as well as cannabis testing and manufacturing operations. Likewise, the council decided it could support outdoor grows intended for personal pot use, so long as the plants are shielded from public view.

The council is not yet ready to vote on a new marijuana ordinance. Council members directed city staff to return with recommendations prior to drafting an ordinance.

A majority of council members appear to be hesitant about allowing commercial marijuana sales and grows in the city, but the council will likely revisit those issues as well.

In advance of Tuesday’s meeting, city staff conducted surveys of Atascadero residents on marijuana policy proposals. Nearly 75 percent of respondents indicated they were comfortable with or in support of allowing outdoor cultivation for personal use, commercial cultivation for wholesale distribution, testing facilities, manufacturing facilities, retail sales and deliveries, according to a city staff report.

However, opponents of increased marijuana activity indicated they are strongly against pot businesses operating in the city. Residents opposed to commercial marijuana activity cited reasons including it is generally a public safety risk; minors will have increased access; edible products may be marketed to youth; there will be smell and other appearance issues; crime could increase; and pot businesses could impact the perception of Atascadero.

Currently, Atascadero bans all forms of commercial marijuana activity.


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You said “Just say no to drugs.” That means all substances, mind-altering or not, such as sugar, caffeine, alcohol, nicotine, shampoo, sunscreen, blood-pressure medications, etc.

Drugs are substances regulated and recognized by the Food and Drug Administration.

Did you mean “Just say no to chemical substances?”


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There’s only ever been two choices – toss good people, productive citizens in prison for smoking weed which is a thousand times less harmful than booze, or don’t throw them in prison.


For the last 50 years we have been ignorant, shameful, and self-destructive with regard to weed and thankfully that is coming to an end.


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The only thing I disagree with is the “thousand times less harmful.” Harm is a subjective judgment but I would say it is more like 50% less harmful.


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Just say no to drugs.


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75% or survey responders OK with it, but the city council members know better. Didn’t it used to be that our elected officials actually represented the people? Why send out a survey if you’re going to ignore the results?


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Don’t you love surveys and how they create a new life. Try this one on for size: Greater than 75% would take free money if it were legally offered to them from a taxpayer trust like Social Security. Do they think past their own wallet? It must be very easy to defer the problem when today life is better for you. How about the cost of government, do you think your grandchildren will fix the problem we created? It will likely be a new government that flushes the old, just saying.


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Adding to my earlier comment in norcal i live on a decent street w/nice homes ,,,, but as far as ii have noticed only myself and 2 others have jobs the rest are on govt programs most i believe are receiving the crazy money from govt,,, I hardly ever see them outside they stay inside for days most are involved in the weed industry , We dont have water meters just a flat monthly fee as we have tons of water up here , most tell PGE they have electric cars using a generic VIN# or they have the care program plus they conduct business w/ free smartphones which are handed out in my town at sidewalk tables by the GOVT. they do have frequent visitors (customers) but always inside . I would go nuts staying in my home for days and days , month after month etc. etc. . Their homes average 1100 SQFT. not very much room to get lost in . The money they make is squandered , it does not effect their food stamps welfare etc ,, So i dont see how weed benefits a community as i stated earlier !!!!


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Yawner,


It’s like saying the City is considering allowing a wine tasting room to open.


It’s only a matter of time before the U.S. realizes pot is nothing compared to alcohol.


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So abigchocoholic says alcohol is worse ? On my walks i venture past a business park at break time and i see and smell the forklift operators smoking weed , then i see them minutes later driving 12,000 lb forklifts around — THAT IS OKAY ???? What happens if your relative is crushed by the stoned forklift operator —- THAT IS OKAY ???? When a walmart employee is hurt on the job and wants to go see a doctor , a manager follows them to their first stop which is a mandatory drug test or be fired ,,,, That is how bad drugs have become . Say your involved in a criminal or civil trial and at recess your attorney goes and gets high —- and you end up losing your civil case which destroys your life or worse yet your convicted of a crime you didnt do . So after the trial you say to yourself WOW i sure am glad my attorney was stoned . In norcal the doctor works at the weed store you go in they have a list on the counter you pick which medical ailment you have the doctor approves you for $29.00 , then he shows the great weed they have and sells you some weed . We have elected city counsel members quitting up here and opening up pot stores after they voted them in — That does not look good —-


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You don’t think that someone under the influence of alcohol wouldn’t be at least as dangerous as stoners in the situations you described?


Very few people advocating for legalization are making the claim that it is without danger. They are saying that 1) the “war on drugs” is and has been a failure for the same reasons that prohibition was a failure about 90 years ago; 2) the negative effects of criminalizing low level self-destructive behaviors far outweigh any benefits that might come from discouraging the few that will respond to legal threats by not smoking pot; 3) the hypocrisy of keeping booze legal and pot illegal breeds a disrespect for the law and for that part of society that supports it; and 4) enforcement of the law has resulted in abusive tactics and attitudes by law enforcement personnel in many places (unnecessary SWAT raids in particular).


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In reply to ron holt , i did not say they were drinking alcohol then driving forklifts around , i said they are smoking weed then driving forklifts around a work place . The point being people think it is okay to operate machines or cars or motorcycles or just any work place cause weed is so safe for everybody . It is not safe to smoke weed unless the person is going to be in one place for a long period .


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I was at the meeting last night and it was despicable to listen to the humor and joking by MAYOR Tom O’Mallley and some of the council when discussing this matter! This is all about money! The City will be using up this new revenue in 5-10 years and then our leaders will be looking for more new sources of income (meaning taxes) as we look at the empty storefronts, commercial lots, and employees not functioning coherently (the young already have a problem). I will personally hold this Council/Mayor responsible for the increase in crime, the burden on our law enforcement (like they don’t have enough problems now with homeless, robbery, petty thief, burglaries, etc,), etc.


I support medical marijuana for health issues but I do not support pleasure marijuana. Look at what alcohol has done to our society, wines to our environment and the issues we have with other drugs. This is not a win for California or this Country but I guess people are so screwed up, can’t stand their life’s and have to fix a substitute for their survival. Very sad!


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Yes he is a joke.


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When politicians take the oath of office they swear to uphold all of the laws. Even though the world is changing I’m still under the impression that Federal Law rules over State Law. Federal Law is against the Marijuana initiatives that are being passed by states and other jurisdictions.

Will elected officials be violating their oath of office if they vote against the Federal Laws?

Certainly wouldn’t be anything new for Atascadero and most of the other parts of the county.


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Growing up and living in SLO county, i always heard about humboldt weed etc ,,,,,, well now that i live in norcal for quite awhile now the word humboldt makes me cringe . I have not smoked weed since high school , didnt party in college . It is really sad when i can go thru my list of clients from teenagers to 70 year olds and be able to tell you which ones will be 4-6 hrs late arriving for their appointments just because they smoke weed or process it . Or i go to the store and all of the employees are high and cant get anything done correctly . Maybe people are trying to relive high school or college days thru weed , kind of like old guys who never had hot rods in high school but now cause they have read car magazines and have some money now have hot rods ? I deal w/the public all day long and have yet to see how weed benefits a community . All the norcal newspapers are filled w/massive drug arrest or crimes related to weed . Just google crime in any norcal area or county the drug problem is way past a crisis .Making it more accessible will only create more problems .


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Great post. Carnac is alive and well. The future will tell and I beleive you have predicted the future. The only good is that the government will get more money to spend while we becomes the victims.


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