Move To Ban Recreational Marijuana Business In Unincorporated Marin County
MARIN (CBS SF) -- The Marin County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously Tuesday to ban non-medical marijuana business activities in the unincorporated areas of the county.
A hearing on the ban ordinance lasted less than five minutes and there was no public comment, according to a release by the Community Development Agency.
The ordinance prohibits all recreational cannabis business activities, including manufacturing and distribution, and prohibits outdoor cultivation in unincorporated Marin County.
"Banning non-medical cannabis business activities allows us to preserve local control rather than accept state-imposed guidelines," Board President Judy Arnold said.
The county's primary focus is to consider medical cannabis dispensaries over the next few months, Arnold said.
California voters passed the Adult Use of Marijuana Act in November.
The act allows local governments to ban business activities or develop local ordinances regarding non-medical, recreational marijuana. The act still allows adults over 21 to use cannabis and grow up to six plants indoors with restrictions.
Marin County is holding public meetings about applications and locations for medical cannabis dispensaries. One meeting was at 6 p.m. on Tuesday night at the Lagunitas School, 1 Lagunitas School Road in San Geronimo Valley.
Another meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. Feb. 16 in the Board of Supervisors chamber at the Marin County Civic Center 3501 Civic Center Drive in San Rafael. No decisions regarding locations of the dispensaries will be made.
Residents living near a licensed medical cannabis dispensary in the future are assured it will be licensed for medical cannabis only, according to the Community Development Agency.
More information about Marin County's cannabis programs is available at www.marincounty.org/cannabis.
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