Colorado Springs Places Bans on City’s Cannabis

[dropcap class=”kp-dropcap”]C[/dropcap]olorado Springs city council approved two moratoriums on Tuesday that directly impact the city’s cannabis industry. Both moratoriums will last for six months, and one may potentially sink many medical dispensaries.

The first moratorium bans new cannabis clubs, or “consumption facilities,” from opening. These are private clubs that permit customers to consume cannabis on the property. Consumption in public spaces, bars and restaurants is a civil infraction in Colorado, so residents and tourists are only permitted to smoke in their home or at a cannabis club. The club moratorium passed 7-2.

The only two dissenting votes came from councilmembers Bill Murray and Helen Collins. Neither city council member believed there was evidence to warrant the club moratorium. Collins said the state was already drafting regulations for the largely unregulated cannabis clubs, so there was no need to pass a city ordinance.

The second moratorium hits the city’s medical cannabis operations. No new dispensaries, MIPs or grows will be allowed to open during the moratorium. Any contracts, leases or licenses for new operations will be put on hold. Furthermore, all existing licensed medical businesses are banned from moving locations or renovating their buildings, a move that could put a lot of dispensaries out of business.

Several dispensary owners expressed their concerns to the city council. Some of their leases will end during the moratorium, meaning they’ll be unable to renew their leases or secure new leases during that time.

The medical ordinance would also prevent dispensaries from moving to another building if their current place of business sustains irreparable damage, such as from fire or flooding.

Councilmember Don Knight spearheaded both moratoriums. He drafted the club ban after receiving a complaint from one of his constituents which regarded a rumor that a cannabis club was planning to open in a neighborhood strip mall. During the meeting, he cited a lack of regulations for requiring the ordinance.

Knight’s support for the medical moratorium was due to zoning laws and “land use.” He and the other supporting councilmembers were worried about “intertwined” zoning regulations for dispensaries, MIPs and grows.

“It’s not about violations of the regulations,” Knight told the council. “It’s about whether we’re happy with the regulations we already have.”

Currently, all three kinds of medical cannabis operations can be located in the same type of zone. Knight believed this gives unfair advantages to medical dispensaries, since alcohol manufacturing, distribution and sales are subjected to stricter zoning regulations.

The medical ordinance passed 5-4. Councilmember Tom Strand was the one swing-vote on the council, and he shared his gratitude with the activists and business owners who showed up to the meeting.

Strand said, “I didn’t know how I was going to vote until I listened to everybody. I think the citizens don’t realize the impact they have by showing up. Showing up is very important, and your presence has been critical to one of the nine members—and that’s me. And it’s made all the difference in how I’m going to vote on this moratorium.” Strand was joined by Jill Gaebler, Helen Collins and Bill Murray as the dissenting votes.

The medical moratorium hasn’t completely cleared yet. The city charter requires that it pass a second round of votes in order to become law.