50 Medical Marijuana Dispensaries In San Jose File For Permits Despite Strict Requirements
SAN JOSE (KCBS) — There was a filing frenzy by owners of medical marijuana dispensaries in San Jose as they sought to beat a registration deadline on Friday, but strict new requirements may make it nearly impossible for them to get a permit.
During the summer, San Jose voted to shut down about 90 medical marijuana businesses by Oct. 17 and allow some to reopen with an operating permit in 2015 but by time the smoke had cleared after 5 p.m. deadline on Friday, 50 of the 78 dispensaries had filed an application.
"They have to be in industrial locations. They can't be near residential homes. They can't be near schools or pre-schools. There is a number of conditions we will look at and then we'll screen those out right away," San Jose city spokesman, David Vossbrink said. "What we don't know for sure yet is: of those 50, how many of them are actually complete and will meet the threshold for either location or for all the material they need for our operating requirements?"
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Former dispensary owner Dave Hodges, who was forced to close up shop thinks the zoning and operational requirements are so onerous that less than ten will likely survive the screening process.
"The locations that are available, I've heard of outrageous numbers such as $30,000 to $50,000 a month for rent with large deposits and even obligations to buy the building," he said.