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ATTACHMENT 1 <br />ATTY/ORD.420/MORATORIUM ON MARIJUANA CULTIVATION FACILITIES <br />REV: 01-21-16 RL <br />Page 4 of 7 <br />ordinance and on file with the City Clerk. The report details numerous violent crimes that <br />occurred throughout the state in and around medical marijuana establishments; and <br /> <br /> WHEREAS, the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office issued a May 2014 <br />memorandum entitled “Issues Surrounding Marijuana in Santa Clara County,” which <br />outlined many of the negative secondary effects resulting from marijuana cultivation; a <br />copy of this memorandum is attached to the staff report presented to the City Council with <br />this ordinance and on file with the City Clerk. According the memorandum, marijuana <br />cultivation sites were often associated with illegal construction, haphazard electrical <br />wiring, electricity theft, fires, mold and fungus problems, diversion of public water, <br />pollution of waterways, firearm violations, crimes, and organized crime and street gang <br />involvement; and <br /> <br /> WHEREAS, news stories regarding adverse impacts of medical marijuana <br />businesses, including dispensaries and cultivation sites, are attached to the staff report <br />presented to the City Council with this ordinance and on file with the City Clerk. As <br />detailed in these stories, marijuana establishments and cultivation sites are frequent <br />targets of violent crimes, including robberies and assaults; and <br /> <br />WHEREAS, it is reasonable to conclude that marijuana cultivation sites and <br />commercial cannabis activities would cause similar adverse impacts on the public health, <br />safety, and welfare in Redwood City. Furthermore, if the City lost the ability to regulate <br />or prohibit marijuana cultivation as a result of Health and Safety Code section <br />11362.777(c)(4), it would lose the ability to protect the public health, safety, and welfare <br />from the negative secondary impacts of marijuana cultivation sites, as detailed above; <br />and <br /> <br />WHEREAS, in order to protect the public health, safety, and welfare, the City <br />Council desires to amend Redwood City Zoning Ordinance Article 59 to address, in <br />express terms marijuana cultivation facilities and commercial cannabis activities. The City <br />Council hereby determines that the Zoning Ordinance is in need of further review and <br />possible revision to protect the public against potential negative health, safety, and <br />welfare impacts and to address the new marijuana business models recognized under <br />MMRSA; and <br /> <br />WHEREAS, the compacted time frame in Health and Safety Code section <br />11362.777(c)(4) for adopting a marijuana cultivation regulation or ordinance does not <br />provide sufficient time to consider and adopt a regular zoning code amendment, which <br />includes public notice, consideration by the Planning Commission, and first and second <br />readings before the City Council. As a result of the impending March 1, 2016 deadline <br />9.A. - Page 10