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<br />8A <br />Page t~ <br />Page 2 <br /> <br />About 100 cities have chosen to ban collectives. The City of Anaheim chose to ban <br />them and this ban has been challenged in court. A decision from the appellate court is <br />currently pending. <br /> <br />Many cities have elected to enact a moratorium on medical marijuana-oriented <br />businesses, allowing them to defer a decision while studying the potential impacts of <br />permitting medical marijuana collectives or allowing them to operate. The City of <br />Claremont's moratorium was recently upheld in court. <br /> <br />Staff has not received any applications to date. but has responded to serious inquiries <br />from four prospective applicants regarding the City's requirements for establishing <br />medical marIjuana collectives/cooperatives. Staff has also received numerous other <br />requests for information and assistance about establishing these uses. Locations <br />proposed by prospective applicants range from the intersection of Jefferson Avenue and <br />EI Camino Real, the intersection of Whipple Avenue and EI Camino Real, the SOO-block <br />of Woodside Road and multiple sites on Veterans Boulevard. Some of these locations <br />are in close proximity to schools, child care centers, and neighborhoods. <br /> <br />Medical marijuana-oriented businesses are not expressly regulated within the Redwood <br />City Municipal Code or Zoning Ordinance; however, this type of land use might be <br />considered similar to a pharmacy, medical office, or clinics. Under the City's current <br />Zoning Ordinance, such a business could potentially operate in a variety of zoning <br />districts, including near schools or day care facilities by obtaining a Use Permit. <br />However, appropriate evaluation of such a permit is cause for concern because the City <br />has no adopted ordinances, policy or experience with the use. <br /> <br />In addition to the potential problems associated with the distribution of marijuana near <br />schools and day care facilities, the lack of framework for medical marijuana.related <br />businesses to operate In Redwood City poses a potential threat to the health and safety <br />of the public. Nearby cities have documented that the establishment of medical <br />marijuana-related businesses can cause adverse effects such as increased crime. Law <br />enforcement authorities in cities where such businesses exist report increases in Illegal <br />drug activity and sales, robberies of patrons, loitering. and other criminal activity in the <br />vicinity of the facility. The Redwood City Police Chief, who supports the moratorium, <br />has provided a memo related to law enforcement issues and supporting documents <br />associated with respect to medical marijuana-related businesses (Attachment 2). <br /> <br />Because of the high number of inquiries recently received by the City's Planning, <br />Housing and Economic Development Department by prospective applicants desiring to <br />operate medical marijuana-related businesses, it is appropriate to adopt a moratorium <br />to allow staff to do the research necessary to draft appropriate regulations. Research <br />will include reviewing best practices from other cities to address questions such as: <br /> <br />1. Should medical marijuana collectives be restricted to certain zones? <br />2. Should a medical marijuana collective be a permitted use, prohibited use or <br />conditional use (considered by the Zoning Administrator)? <br />3. Should medical marijuana collectives have minimum distances separating them from <br />other medical marijuana.related businesses or sensitive uses such as schools, <br />residential districts and/or churches? <br /> <br />2 <br />