In 2010, the Town Council allowed a medical marijuana dispensary known as CAMS to relocate from the Monterey Business Center to an industrial/commercial center on Wamego Trail, with the stipulation that it would have to close its doors for good on December 6, 2013. The Council also established a moratorium prohibiting any other dispensaries from opening. In May of this year, the managing director of CAMS requested a three-year extension of the agreement that permitted CAMS to operate in Town limits. Managing editor Tami Roleff reports that a split Town Council voted last night against the time extension, which means Yucca Valley’s only legal medical marijuana dispensary will have to shut down next month…
A split Yucca Valley Town Council voted 3 to 2 last night to deny a request for a time extension that would allow the Morongo Basin’s only legal medical marijuana dispensary to keep its doors open for three more years. Public comments were mostly in favor of allowing the dispensary to continue its operations. Yucca Valley resident Bob Stadum argued that if CAMS was forced to shut down, patients would have to get their drugs from criminals. “I support regulating and taxing, rather than moving off into the black market.” Council Member Dawn Rowe explained why she voted against granting the time extension to CAMS. “The Town of Yucca Valley currently has an ordinance prohibiting medical marijuana dispensaries to exist within the boundaries of the Town. If we allow CAMS to continue operations, we are acting in violation of our own ordinance.” Joining Rowe in denying the time extension were Council Member George Huntington and Mayor Merl Able; Council Members Robert Lombardo and Bob Leone voted to allow CAMS to continue operations. The Town’s 2010 agreement with CAMS allows it to continue operations until December 6, 2013.
YUCCA VALLEY TOWN COUNCIL DENIES EXTENSION FOR MEDICAL MARIJUANA DISPENSARY
