The council members said they sympathize with patients who need marijuana to ease their pain, but they’re worried about (a) regulating the dispensaries and (b) how such businesses would affect Garden Grove neighborhoods.

Some Orange County cities with moratoriums or permanent bans [...]]]> The Garden Grove City Council voted to ban pot dispensaries earlier this week (KNX1070)

The council members said they sympathize with patients who need marijuana to ease their pain, but they’re worried about (a) regulating the dispensaries and (b) how such businesses would affect Garden Grove neighborhoods.

Some Orange County cities with moratoriums or permanent bans on pot dispensaries include:

• Buena Park
• Fullerton
• Mission Viejo
• Santa Ana
• Tustin
• Huntington Beach
• Placentia

*** Laguna Woods last week became the first local city to pass an ordinance allowing medical marijuana dispensaries.

More on the City Council decision from The OC Register:

Council members voted 4-1 for the ordinance prohibiting the dispensaries, with Councilman Mark Rosen casting the sole dissenting vote.

Rosen said he would like more information from police about an existing unauthorized medical marijuana clinic in Garden Grove.

“I’d like to find out if this facility has had any negative impacts on the community,” he said.

Police officials said no incidents were reported at or near the dispensary on Brookhurst Street in the seven months it has operated. Several speakers at the meeting also said they have been buying their marijuana from this business popularly known among users as “Unit D.”

Police officials confirmed that the business at that location was licensed as a dance studio but operating as a medical marijuana dispensary. No children were seen there taking dance lessons, officials said.

Joe Byron, the owner of the dispensary in question, told the council that he was not operating covertly and in fact has a general retail license from the city to do business. He said the business at the location before his was a dance studio.

“We weren’t trying to be covert or sneaky,” he said. “In fact, we do quite a bit of Internet marketing.”

But the rest of the council was firmly in support of the ban.

According to The OC Register, Laguna Woods is the first city in Orange County to pass a law that allows the sale of medical marijuana.

Bucking a trend in Orange County, Laguna Woods on Wednesday [...]]]> The Laguna Woods City Council unanimously voted to allow medical cannabis stores in the city, starting next month.

According to The OC Register, Laguna Woods is the first city in Orange County to pass a law that allows the sale of medical marijuana.

Bucking a trend in Orange County, Laguna Woods on Wednesday became the first local city to pass an ordinance allowing medical marijuana dispensaries. So far no potential vendors have approached the city.

There are dispensaries in about a half-dozen other cities, including Lake Forest and Laguna Niguel, but until now none have opened with the blessing of a city. Many have done nothing on a hazy issue in which state and federal laws conflict.

Some cities, including Huntington Beach, Laguna Hills and Mission Viejo, have enacted bans or moratoriums on the dispensaries, which cropped up after a 1996 state law, the Compassionate Use Act, allowed people to use medical marijuana.

* * * * * * * *

Laguna Woods, California | Medical Marijuana Ordinance

WHAT: The Laguna Woods City Council voted 4-0, with one abstention, to allow medical marijuana dispensaries in the city.

WHEN: Starting in mid-October, dispensaries will be allowed. There currently are no applications to open one.

WHERE: In unspecified commercial/office areas located outside the gated community of Laguna Woods Village.

RESTRICTIONS:

- Dispensary clients must be residents of Laguna Woods. Caretakers will be allowed to purchase marijuana after meeting certain requirements.

- Dispensaries must be located at least 1,000 feet from schools, daycare centers, playgrounds and other youth-oriented establishments.

- They must be operated as collectives or non-profit organizations.

- Hours of operation limited to 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

- No one under 18 allowed in dispensaries at any time.

Source: Laguna Woods City Council / OCRegister.com

Another interesting stat from the article:

As of January, 63 of California’s 480 cities had banned medical marijuana dispensaries and 29 had adopted ordinances permitting and regulating them to varying degrees, according to Laguna Woods city documents.