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7.A. - Page 5 Local Requlatory Developments: Since Redwood City enacted its moratorium in November 2009, cities and counties in California have taken a variety of approaches to banning or regulating medical marijuana establishments. As of August 2011, 161 cities and 17 counties have adopted prohibitions against medical marijuana distribution facilities. On the Peninsula, the City and County of San Francisco, the City of San Carlos, the City of San Mateo, and San Mateo County currently permit Medical Marijuana Distribution Facilities. The cities of Colma, San Bruno, South San Francisco, Millbrae, Brisbane, East Palo Alto, Half Moon Bay, Sunnyvale, and Mountain View, have also adopted or are prepared to adopt a ban. In Santa Clara County, no city other than San Jose currently permits medical marijuana facilities. To date, no Peninsula city that has adopted either a moratorium or a ban has been challenged in court. Cities that have adopted a ban have focused on the secondary effects of inedical marijuana facilities. When Redwood City initially enacted its moratorium in 2009, former Police Chief Cobarruviaz prepared a memo describing the anticipated public safety impacts of allowing the cultivation and distribution of marijuana. (See Attachment 2). As discussed below, the Police Department still recommends that the City ban such facilities. Police Department/Public Safety Considerations The operation of inedical marijuana facilities presents local law enforcement with a unique set of problems and creates the potential for negative impacts upon the community. The secondary criminal effects associated with these facilities range from nuisance crimes such as loitering and health and safety violations, to major crimes such as robbery and homicide. The resources required to investigate crimes associated with marijuana distribution facilities would vary depending on the type of crime, but could be significant. The average hourly cost, including overhead expenses, for a RCPD officer is $148.97. In the past three years, Redwood City has experienced a number of violent crimes associated with the sale and distribution of marijuana. Though these crimes did not occur at marijuana distribution facilities, the experience of other cities that allow these facilities is that criminal activity is associated with the sale of marijuana, regardless of whether it is from a dispensary or a sale on the street. Currently there are no known marijuana facilities operating within Redwood City. The following is a summary of recent marijuana-related crimes in Redwood City. • May 17, 2009. Several subjects entered a house in a residential neighborhood at approximately 7:10 p.m., subdued the occupants at gunpoint, and tied them up. The subjects searched the house and took several pounds of marijuana and other illegal narcotics. As these subjects attempted to flee, one of the residents of the house managed to untie himself, armed himself with a handgun and pursued the subjects outside where he engaged them with gunfire, firing 5 to 7 shots and wounding one subject in the face.