Document text
2 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 Talent leaders remember Brian Roberts as champion for civil liberties, water system improvements California governor orders mandatory water restrictions in state Standing Stone owners will open brew pub in downtown Medford Retired geology professor talks about earthquakes Jacksonville resident Gary Dahl, creator of the Pet Rock, dies at 78 Crime, Courts and Emergency Services Emergency services Oregon AG sues White City company over subscription scam Police investigate mini-spree of White City car break-ins Siskiyou County man arrested near Talent on kidnapping charges One person suffers smoke inhalation in Ashland house fire on Union Street Politics and Elections Jackson County Commissioners plan no tax on marijuana for one year Arthur I. Cyr: Iran – a crisis without end Arthur I. Cyr: South Korea represents long-term triumph – for them and for US Special election: Jackson County voters OK marijuana tax Ex-Merkley aide chosen as Oregon secretary of state Education New SOU board hikes tuition 5 percent Southern Oregon Education Service District superintendent to retire in June Which comes first: The rocket or the egg? Medford School District one of most accident-prone in state Dianne Williamson: College admissions mania ill-advised Environment A sea-foam change Rogue Valley lions on their way to California Corps hopes to clear Lost Creek Lake of debris Beetles taking toll on Ashland pines Mt. Ashland Ski Area to host party March 28 State News Navy vet recalls a time of MAD, and nukes in Vietnam Seaside moves closer to allowing pot dispensaries Democratic schools budget clears Oregon House: $7.3 billion Oregon ski areas ask lawmakers for re-strengthened lawsuit protection More truck traffic coming into Oregon via Highway 97 Nation - World Obituaries Gary Dahl Death Notices Edward Thomas Reichenbach Frederick David Schatz James Francis Poole Weather Photo Galleries Since You Asked Videos Web Cams Mail Tribune 100 Shareable Sports Latest Stories South’s Fisher ties for third in SWC opener North dominates in SWC opener Patriots owner Kraft testifies in Hernandez trial Djokovic triumphs, but Venus Williams falls Randle sets record, leads Stanford in NIT Varsity 541 College Sports Randle sets record, leads Stanford in NIT UConn coaches won’t go to Indiana for Final Four Coaches hired for league-bound RCC Looking for a leader Sports leagues need to fight Indiana law Pro Sports Patriots owner Kraft testifies in Hernandez trial Djokovic triumphs, but Venus Williams falls Cubs' Lester frustrated by Bryant’s demotion Ko rolls toward LPGA history NASCAR penalizes RCR, Newman for tires Community Sports Business Latest Stories Standing Stone owners will open brew pub in downtown Medford A study in fine-tuned artistry Cars We Remember: ‘Topper’ movie car most memorable After being sidelined by blindness, Stan Moore returns to the bike business in Medford Mandatory paid sick leave gets mixed reviews Real Estate News East McAndrews Road sees a resurgence in commercial projects Business briefs: March 7 New construction prices jump 18.2 percent in Jackson County People In Business People in Business, March 26, 2015 Transportation Rogue Disposal plans natural gas fueling site Alaska, United Express boost Medford airport to record February CEO Rieder leaving Erickson March 31 Agriculture Broth maker leaves San Diego for Medford Harry & David announces new president Opinion Latest Our View: The tangled web at Medford's Northgate Centre Letters to the Editor, April1 Kathleen Parker: Religious freedom is a two-way street Landgren cartoon: European travel essentials Our View: Lawmakers ending a small annoyance in the law Editorials Our View: The tangled web at Medford's Northgate Centre Our View: Lawmakers ending a small annoyance in the law Other Views: Sage grouse listing would be unfortunate Our View: Phoenix lion sanctuary was a missed opportunity Other Views: Gun background check bill won't make us safer Letters to the Editor Letters to the Editor, April1 Letters to the Editor, March 31 Letters to the Editor, March 30 Letters to the Editor, March 29 Letters to the Editor, March 28 Columns Kathleen Parker: Religious freedom is a two-way street Guest Opinion: Marijuana offers Oregon benefits, drawbacks Kathleen Parker: A leap of faith — into thin air George Will: Remembrance of Clintons past Dana Milbank: The end of the White House's insularity? Guest Opinions Guest Opinion: Marijuana offers Oregon benefits, drawbacks Guest Opinion: How to end the influence of money in elections Guest Opinion: How schools teach U.S. history raises hackles Guest Opinion: Guest Opinion: Raise your voice against child abuse Lifestyle Latest stories Fish on: Winter steelhead fishing is so good on the upper Rogue that even rookies can limit out Tips for catching winter steelhead in the upper Rogue Page H. Onorato: What’s on the menu for Easter? Page H. Onorato: Leftover ham and eggs make for some yummy dishes after Easter Carol Link: It’s time to get into shape for spring yard work Food Page H. Onorato: Leftover ham and eggs make for some yummy dishes after Easter The journey from inspiration to written recipe Tammy Kelly: Lighten up traditional Easter desserts Kitchen Call: Goat cheese recipes worth bleating over Community blog: Try slightly smoky baked beans instead of refried Home and Garden Carol Link: It’s time to get into shape for spring yard work Dear Monty: Relocation brings pay raise and challenges Garden Cameos: Planning for a fragrant garden year round Paul Rogers: Choose the right tool for job in the garden Home Help: Easy enhancements for your master closet Health Brent St. Germain: Feeling the burn again HealthStyle: Normal anxiety or anxiety disorder? Community blog: How to Get Rid of a Tension Headache St. Mary's student helps others with diabetes Community blog: Sleep Tight: Making Your Bed, Body and Mind Ready for Rest Hiking Biking Faith Religion briefs: Friday, March 27 Religion briefs Religion News: Presbyterian Church gives approval on same-sex marriage Religion briefs: Friday, March 13 More religion events in the Rogue Valley Milestones and Achievements Haga-Parks Exercise helps special-needs kids adjust to airport procedures Engagement: Workman-Wright Columnist for a Day Rogue Healthy Aging Tempo Latest stories Trivia Tuesdays at South Stage Cellars Sweetwater String Band tonight at Oberon's Tavern in Ashland Rising Stars raises $10,000 for LIFE Art ‘Million Dollar Quartet’ plays the Craterian Theater Here's Tempo's top five picks for live entertainment this week Theater Review: From past into present in OSF's 'Long Day's Journey' ‘A Dream of Red Pavilions’ at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival Review: Education and its discontents Next Stage Repertory presents 'Educating Rita' at the Craterian Theater Eugene O'Neill's 'Long Day's Journey into Night' opens at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival Music Sweetwater String Band tonight at Oberon's Tavern in Ashland Rising Stars raises $10,000 for LIFE Art ‘Million Dollar Quartet’ plays the Craterian Theater Futurebirds play the Brickroom in Ashland The 2015 Rising Stars music competition ends with its final round on the Britt stage in Jacksonville Community Events Get Up & Go: April 1 Trivia Tuesdays at South Stage Cellars Rogue Valley artist Linda Evans' pastel paintings capture landscapes of Southern Oregon Ashland Independent Film Festival announces this year's lineup OSF Hip-Hop Poetry Open Mic Dining Restaurant Inspections: March 29 Basque-inspired cuisine at Eleven in Ashland Parsing the meaning behind wine medals and scores Restaurant Inspections: Sunday, March 22 Jasmine Thai Cuisine Tempo Videos Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » Obits Blogs TV Listings Movie Listings Oregon Outdoors Oregon Healthy Living Special Sections Business Services NEWS NOW Talent leaders remember Brian Roberts as champion for civil liberties, water system improvements ... Standing Stone owners will open brew pub in downtown Medford ... Jacksonville resident Gary Dahl, creator of the Pet Rock, dies at 78 ... Talent leaders remember Brian Roberts as champion for civil liberties, water system improvements ... Standing Stone owners will open brew pub in downtown Medford ... Jacksonville resident Gary Dahl, creator of the Pet Rock, dies at 78 ... LEGISLATURE Urban pot grows could be trimmed Buckley asks Medford to have patience and reconsider pot ban Comment By Damian Mann Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Damian Mann Mail Tribune Posted Mar. 28, 2015 at 11:01 PM By Damian Mann Mail Tribune Posted Mar. 28, 2015 at 11:01 PM » Social News An eight-plant limit could be imposed on recreational pot gardens in cities under a series of changes contemplated by the Oregon Legislature as it attempts to tweak the state's new marijuana legalization law. Another change would allow recreational cannabis to be grown within 1,000 feet of a school as long as it wasn't visible, said Rep. Peter Buckley, D-Ashland. On the medical marijuana side, Buckley has sponsored a bill that would limit the number of plants grown by medical marijuana patients to 12 per household within city limits. It would remain illegal to grow medical marijuana within 1,000 feet of a school, Buckley said. “We’re trying to minimize the number of larger medical grows in residential areas,” he said. The various changes proposed could mean recreational pot growers living in a household could be allowed to grow up to eight plants near a school, while a medical marijuana grower could not, Buckley said. Ballot Measure 91, which was passed by voters last November, doesn’t specify whether marijuana can be grown near schools, he said. However, laws currently on the books prohibit growing medical marijuana near schools. Over the next few years, Oregonians will see a lot of changes to both the medical marijuana and recreational pot laws as issues arise and legislators try to find common ground with cities and counties that are wrestling with legalization, Buckley said. “It is a very complex thing to bring an illegal substance into a legal realm,” he said. Measure 91 allows up to four plants for every adult. That means if 10 adults lived in a house, the law would allow them to grow a combined 40 plants. The tweak being considered by lawmakers would cap the household limit at eight plants per household within cities. The medical marijuana program allows six plants per medical marijuana cardholder, but lawmakers want to cap it at 12 plants per urban grow site. The state has made a rough forecast that 2,000 businesses and farmers will apply for licenses for recreational marijuana once the Oregon Liquor Control Commission begins accepting applications in 2016, Buckley said. Buckley, who is a member of the Joint Committee On Implementing Measure 91, said he expects the state to reaffirm through legislation that the sole authority to tax cannabis should come only from the Legislature. Buckley's House Bill 3400 would expressly prohibit municipalities from taxing medical marijuana. Municipalities such as Medford and Jackson County have attempted to enact their own laws as a reaction to the legalization of both medical and recreational marijuana. “We don’t want to allow taxation on the local level because we want to discourage the black market,” Buckley said. “High taxes in Washington are tending to keep the black market operating there.” Buckley said he encourages Medford and other cities to show more patience before enacting local laws as the Legislature works to smooth out some of the issues surrounding legalization. Recreational marijuana becomes legal in Oregon July 1.  Buckley said cities such as Medford have reacted too strongly against legalization efforts. Medford has permanently banned medical marijuana dispensaries. “Again, I would like to point to the huge concern over dispensaries in Medford,” Buckley said. “Dispensaries are operating around the state without any problems.” Colorado, he said, has not seen increased law enforcement costs associated with cannabis legalization. Oregon is also looking at rules for recreational and medical grows outside city limits, Buckley said. A medical marijuana garden would have a 48-plant limit, Buckley said. Once a medical grower wants to surpass the limit, the grower would have to obtain a commercial license. “The intent is to keep the small growers in business,” he said. “We want to make sure they have access to the dispensaries. We’re trying to accommodate farmers who want to grow on a small scale for medical marijuana.” Medford Councilor Daniel Bunn said an eight-plant limit would be a step in the right direction, but he said that even four plants is a lot. “Four plants push the limit in a residential setting,” Bunn said. “Eight plants is a lot of marijuana.” He criticized allowing pot within 1,000 feet of a school. “That’s ridiculous,” he said. “Measure 91 hasn’t even started, and they’re already trying to get it closer to children.” He said there are dozens of things wrong with Measure 91 that he thinks should be addressed rather than allowing growing closer to schools. Bunn said he agreed with Buckley about the need to have patience as the state wrestles with legalization of marijuana. “There are going to be some bumps in the road,” he said. Reach reporter Damian Mann at 541-776-4476 or [email protected] . Follow on Twitter at @reporterdm .   By Damian Mann Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Damian Mann Mail Tribune Posted Mar. 28, 2015 at 11:01 PM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » 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