Posted Mar. 12, 2015 at 1:46 PM
Updated Mar 12, 2015 at 5:32 PM
ADELANTO — After a three-hour meeting, the Adelanto City Council voted to forgo a July Special Election ballot initiative to allow the operation of medical marijuana dispensaries, in exchange for a Council vote on the ban at an upcoming meeting.
The motion to take up the issue at City Hall by Councilman John "Bug" Woodard came after a unanimous vote by the five-member body against paying for the $65,000 advisory ballot measure. About a dozen residents from Apple Valley, Victorville and Adelanto wore matching hats and spoke out in support of the medical benefits of the drug. The city currently bans medical marijuana dispensaries through its zoning laws.
"A positive vote for this turns into a moralistic battle," Councilman Charley Glasper told the audience. "I work for you to a certain extent. But I'm not going to sell myself down the river. I have standards."
Glasper also said he had never smoked marijuana and didn't want to give the public a reason to call the city "Ale-ghetto" by inviting pot businesses to operate within the city.
"Now they're getting ready to call it 'Weed City,'" Glasper said.
Johnny Salazar, owner of Green Tree Health Healing collective, was a major proponent of the collectives. He declined to pay for the Special Election and the Council appeared torn in turning away Salazar. Councilman Ed Camargo said he saw his "heart" for the city while Mayor Rich Kerr highlighted Salazar's many donations, including contributions for an upcoming "Movies at Richardson Park" event that begins on April 3.
In the end, several pot proponents lauded the Council's decision to forgo the Special Election, expressing high hopes it meant the city's zoning ban on dispensaries would soon be lifted.
"The Council had an opportunity to do something great tonight and they took that opportunity," said Sarah Bowman, a Victorville resident and co-chapter leader of International Women's Cannabis Coalition. "I came out here to show support for our medical cannabis community in hopes that this council would take an opportunity to change its mind."
City Attorney Todd Litfin said the vote would likely occur after the next scheduled meeting.
"It probably won't be the next meeting because I have to get the reports out to a very tough City Clerk's office by next Tuesday and I probably won't have it done," Litfin said.
In other business, Interim City Manager Tom Thornton presented a Public Works update on the planned widening of Highway 395 in parts of Adelanto that is set to begin construction in 2016. He introduced Terry Street of Clark Pacific, who announced plans to construct a new facility in the Adelanto Industrial Park that would break ground by the end of the year. Street said the company specializes in precast concrete projects and would employ between 100 to 300 employees once it is in full operation.
Adelanto Engineering Project Coordinator Nathan Coapstick presented plans for $857,000 in street and curb updates in the city through the Safe Routes to School program funded by San Bernardino Associated Governments and Caltrans. He said the project would improve safety and accessibility near Adelanto Elementary, Westside Park Elementary and Columbia Middle School.
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