Document text
3 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Home News Latest Stories Ashland: Budget increase, swimming pool funding discussion on council agenda The new normal under climate change? Public Meetings: March 2-6 Mail Tribune 100: March 1, 1915 Since You Asked: Who cleans up around the Medford library? Crime, Courts and Emergency Services Emergency services, March 1 Two injured in White City house fire Family, friends of Central Point fire victim try to cover costs Feds charge California couple with medical device fraud Emergency services, Feb. 28 Politics and Elections Ashland: Budget increase, swimming pool funding discussion on council agenda Judge upholds Phoenix's moratorium on medical marijuana dispensaries Ballots on Jackson County marijuana tax go out Friday Brown's inauguration brings hope to local lawmakers Kate Brown sworn in as Oregon's 38th governor Education MSD considers adding a health center at one of the city's high schools Absenteeism in Oregon schools prompts bill that would tie funding to attendance, not enrollment Territorial Seed contribution a boost for SOU food program 200-plus Jackson County students miss vaccination deadline Medford, Ashland districts fall short of anti-bullying standards Environment The new normal under climate change? Lost Creek Lake algae bloom subsides Lost Creek Lake logjam could become hazard for boaters Made in the Shade Controlled burn planned for Ashland watershed on Friday State News Oregon considers banning non-medical vaccine exemptions Bill to dissolve Cover Oregon heads to Governor Brown Oregon official says he was questioned by FBI, IRS Hayes wants her private emails protected Oregon Senate votes unanimously to outlaw 'revenge porn' Nation - World Obituaries Clara "Jackie" Bean Mae Kathleen Quaccia Joseph (Joe) Torres Margaret M. Moffitt Ruby Beck Perkins Weather Photo Galleries Since You Asked Videos Web Cams Mail Tribune 100 Shareable Bank of America is predicting a massive Tesla collapse Mars One attracts science fiction geeks and people who hate society This $1 million Mercedes is like an armored private jet for the road Sports Latest Stories Poulter, Casey share lead at Honda Oregon upsets No. 19 Stanford Kaminsky, No. 5 Wisconsin clinch Big 10 share Johnson pulls away for another Atlanta win Cal's big run tops OSU Varsity 541 College Sports Oregon upsets No. 19 Stanford Kaminsky, No. 5 Wisconsin clinch Big 10 share Cal's big run tops OSU No. 7 Arizona overtakes No. 13 Utah Raiders upset Knights, in title contest Pro Sports Poulter, Casey share lead at Honda Nadal wins first title in nearly nine months Rousey makes quick work of Cat Depleted Hawks beat Heat Cowboys plan to 'franchise' Bryant Community Sports Business Latest Stories Business Briefs: Feb. 28 People in Business: Feb. 28 Medford Fabrication isn't afraid to go big Ride & Drive: 2015 Audi R8 Blog: Friends Forever Real Estate News Housing prices climb 9 percent in Jackson County Big plans on the Butte Homes for the long haul People In Business People in Business: Feb. 28 People in Business People in Business Transportation Lodging gains bode well for travel industries Medford airport flies past January record Agriculture Warm winter has fruit growers poised for action Briefcase: Business briefs for Feb. 21 1-800-Flowers dumps Harry & David execs Opinion Latest Letters to the Editor, March 1 Our View: Drawing back the curtain on government Dana Milbank: Jeb Bush, CPAC pinata Charles Krauthammer: The fatal flaw in the Iran deal GUEST OPINION: Police, community should work to prevent profiling Editorials Our View: Drawing back the curtain on government Other Views: Brown's list of challenges is lengthy Our View: School attendance bill could backfire Our View: Higher education still getting too little Our View: Adjusting for unintended consequences Letters to the Editor Letters to the Editor, March 1 Letters to the Editor, Feb. 28 Letters to the Editor, Feb. 27 Letters to the Editor, Feb. 26 Letters to the Editor, Feb. 25 Columns Dana Milbank: Jeb Bush, CPAC pinata Charles Krauthammer: The fatal flaw in the Iran deal GUEST OPINION: Police, community should work to prevent profiling George Will: Two reading lessons from the Supreme Court Guest Opinion: Don't overregulate Oregon's hemp industry Guest Opinions GUEST OPINION: Police, community should work to prevent profiling Guest Opinion: Don't overregulate Oregon's hemp industry Guest Opinion: Predatory banking practices bilk citizens Guest Opinion: Is less education the answer? Guest Opinion: Bill would shore up legal aid funding Lifestyle Latest stories Community blog: How I Became Radical: The Power of Acceptance Community blog: The Guest List: Check! Review: In "Much Ado," why not let Shakespeare be Shakespeare? Adopt a Pet: Moby Wedding: Schwartz-Gibbs Food Restaurant Inspections: Sunday, March 1 Community blog: Support local CSA farms by signing up Saturday Joanna McQuillan Weeks: Cheeseburger pie is the perfect winter comfort food Page H. Onorato: Hot dogs I have known and loved Season Stepp: Tips for roasting vegetables Home and Garden Specialty painting adds wow to your walls Dear Monty: Home seller questions agent ethics Home Help: Low-maintenance landscaping ideas Garden Cameos: Winter is the time to prune How to install energy-efficient windows the right way Health Community blog: How I Became Radical: The Power of Acceptance Community blog: The Guest List: Check! Health Watch: Sticking to your health plan when your family isn’t helping Community blog: Finding Your Indomitable Spirit to Defeat Addiction Dr. Murray Feingold: ‘Beet’ high blood pressure with borscht Hiking Biking Faith Religion briefs, Feb. 27 Religion briefs: Friday, Feb. 20 Religion News: Pope makes surprise shantytown visit Religion briefs: Friday, Feb. 13 RELIGION BRIEFS, Feb. 6 Milestones and Achievements Anniversary: Hofer New arrivals: Sunday, Feb. 8 Columnist for a Day Rogue Healthy Aging Tempo Latest stories Live Music in Local Clubs HAPA plays the Historic Ashland Armory An all-new Rising Stars music competition kicks off this weekend Ronny Cox plays the Unitarian Fellowship SOU presents 'She Stoops to Conquer' Theater Review: In "Much Ado," why not let Shakespeare be Shakespeare? 'She Stoops' rises on SOU stage SOU presents 'She Stoops to Conquer' 'The Glass Menagerie' is polished and professional OSF kicks off its 2015 season Music Rogue Valley Symphony showcases Anton Bruckner and Richard Wagner Live Music in Local Clubs HAPA plays the Historic Ashland Armory An all-new Rising Stars music competition kicks off this weekend Ronny Cox plays the Unitarian Fellowship Community Events Third Fridays showcases local artists Southern Oregon Rod and Custom Show Ashland's First Friday Art Walk showcases new exhibits by regional artists Jacksonville celebrates Chinese New Year Dining Restaurant Inspections: Sunday, March 1 Great Outdoor Grill offers healthful options Restaurant Inspections: Sunday, Feb. 22, 2015 Saigon Xich Lo Vietnamese cuisine The zwickels shall flow Tempo Videos Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » Obits Blogs TV Listings Movie Listings Oregon Outdoors Oregon Healthy Living Magazines/Special Sections Business Services NEWS NOW Our View: Drawing back the curtain on government ... Public Meetings: March 2-6 ... GUEST OPINION: Police, community should work to prevent profiling ... Our View: Drawing back the curtain on government ... Public Meetings: March 2-6 ... GUEST OPINION: Police, community should work to prevent profiling ... MEDICAL MARIJUANA Jackson County proposes wide pot buffers By Vickie Aldous Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Vickie Aldous Mail Tribune Posted Feb. 26, 2015 @ 4:40 pm Updated Feb 26, 2015 at 6:03 PM By Vickie Aldous Mail Tribune Posted Feb. 26, 2015 @ 4:40 pm Updated Feb 26, 2015 at 6:03 PM » Social News p bs:newslist StartDate="20121121" EndDate="p bs:datecalc Months="3"" DateSort="1" UseObjects="1" ObjectClass="81" Taxonomywords="2325,665" ExactTaxonomyMatch="1" Image="1" Count="4" --> The Jackson County Planning Department is recommending 2,500-foot buffer zones between medical marijuana dispensaries — a distance that could cut the number of dispensaries allowed under state law by about half. State law requires dispensaries to be 1,000 feet from each other and schools. Residents afraid of marijuana's influence on children applauded the county's proposed 2,500-foot rule, while dispensary owners and people who want to get in on the medical marijuana industry said it would severely limit the number of outlets. The Jackson County Planning Commission Thursday took almost four hours of public testimony on proposed county regulations. The commission will accept more testimony at its 9 a.m. March 12 meeting in the Jackson County Courthouse auditorium, 10 S. Oakdale Ave., Medford. Commissioners will make their own recommendations to the Jackson County Board of Commissioners, which will have the final say on the issue. Officials hope to have regulations in place before a county moratorium on medical marijuana dispensaries is lifted on May 1. Jackson County Development Services Director Kelly Madding recommended dispensaries in unincorporated parts of the county be at least 2,500 feet apart. The county is allowed to adopt regulations that are more stringent than state standards. With the state's 1,000-foot buffer between dispensaries, Madding said, about 10 could open on a two-mile stretch of Highway 62 between White City and Medford. Others could open along Highway 99 between Medford and Phoenix and between Phoenix and Talent. A 2,500-foot buffer would half that number, she said. "We're not saying they can't occur. We're saying this is the spacing we think is appropriate for our county," Madding said. Eagle Point parent Nita Lundberg said she would like to see no medical marijuana dispensaries, or if they are allowed, long distances between them. "I would encourage you to use maximum distances recommended by staff," Lundberg urged planning commissioners. But Medford restaurant owner Brent Kenyon, who has worked for years in the medical marijuana industry, said locations for dispensaries are already limited because so many property owners are unwilling to rent, lease or sell property to people hoping to open such operations. "The 2,500-foot rule is excessive," Kenyon said. Medical marijuana patient Adam Lipsky, who hopes to open a dispensary, said he has talked to 30 landowners and found zero possibilities for a dispensary so far. He said he suffers from a pinched nerve in his back and would like to help other people access marijuana as a medicine. "This is not just potheads trying to get rich — and that's what we're being treated like," Lipsky said. The county Planning Department is recommending dispensaries be allowed to operate from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday, with no drive-thrus permitted. Medical marijuana remnants and byproducts could not be placed in outdoor garbage cans. In addition, the department recommends dispensaries be allowed only in general commercial zones. Zones that would be off limits include industrial, exclusive farm use and commercial I-5 interchange lands. "We have quite a bit of commercial land. Not as much as in a city, but we do have an adequate supply of commercial land," Madding said, adding the county's supply of industrial land — which is needed to attract desirable industries — is limited. Madding said Jackson County Sheriff Corey Falls is concerned about allowing dispensaries near interchanges because they are largely cash-only operations, and criminals could dart on and off I-5. There is also concern about allowing dispensaries in remote areas such as Ruch, Applegate, Sams Valley and Pinehurst, where response times are long. Many banks refuse to do business with marijuana operations because marijuana is still illegal under federal law. Peter Gross, chief executive officer of the Green Valley Wellness dispensary in Talent, said a bank in Portland is now working with the marijuana industry and providing services, including checking accounts. Many transactions are still all-cash, but Gross said his dispensary has a security system with an alarm and locks up product at night in safes bolted to the floor. Jackson County currently has 8,200 Oregon Medical Marijuana Program patients, the second-highest number in the state, Madding said. Planning commissioners wondered about the right number of dispensaries needed to accommodate those patients — and about impacts that will come when recreational marijuana becomes legal under state law. In November 2014, Oregon voters approved Measure 91, which legalizes personal use and possession of recreational marijuana effective July 1. The measure requires the Oregon Liquor Control Commission to begin accepting licenses for recreational marijuana retail stores by Jan. 4, 2016. Dispensary owners testifying at Thursday's meeting said they expect many merged medical and recreational marijuana outlets in the future. Medical marijuana dispensaries officially cannot make a profit, although they can pay owners and employees. Recreational marijuana retail stores can make a profit. The OLCC is in the process of gathering public input and creating regulations for recreational marijuana sales. With those laws still to be determined, Jackson County Planning Commissioner Joel Ockunzzi wondered whether Jackson County medical marijuana rules would later become obsolete. "With recreational marijuana coming, are we bringing a dead date to the dance?" he asked. Marijuana industry consultant Michael Horner, who favors 1,000-foot minimum distances between dispensaries, said separate medical and recreational marijuana regulations could be useful. Some dispensaries will likely choose to remain medical marijuana only, because they are driven by compassion, not a desire to make money. Medical marijuana patients may also continue going to dispensaries to avoid state taxes on recreational marijuana, he said. Measure 91 sets state taxes on recreational marijuana, but not medical marijuana. Although the measure bars local jurisdictions from adopting taxes, many cities and counties raced to adopt a mix of recreational and medical marijuana taxes in hopes those may be allowed. The taxing conflicts are likely to be settled via court rulings. Staff reporter Vickie Aldous can be reached at 541-776-4486 or [email protected] . Follow her on Twitter at www.twitter.com/VickieAldous . By Vickie Aldous Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Vickie Aldous Mail Tribune Posted Feb. 26, 2015 @ 4:40 pm Updated Feb 26, 2015 at 6:03 PM » Comment or view comments /* $( document ).ready(function() { // Jquery mobile is trying to style the button and leaving a blank gry button on top of a white button $("#viafouracoms .vf-comment-controls li.vf-right").html(' Submit '); });*/ » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2015 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501