PAUSE IN PROGRESSION

Colorado Springs City Council meeting on October 25 6-2 voted to approve Ordinance No. 16-100, which amends the “Regulating Plan for the Downtown Colorado Springs Form-Based Zone.” This ordinance pertains to zoning for medical cannabis facilities, medical cannabis centers, medical cannabis infused-products manufacturers and cannabis cultivators. Only Councilmembers Tom Strand and Helen Collins voted against the measure.

The ordinance updates the Regulating Plan for Downtown Colorado Springs to be consistent with the new city-wide regulations for medical cannabis businesses. The code originally permitted all types of medical cannabis businesses to operate in the downtown zone. This update continues to allow dispensaries within the downtown area, but it does not permit medical cannabis infused product manufacturers in the Downtown Colorado Springs Form-Based Zone.

At a council meeting earlier this month, Collins shared the reasoning why she would not vote for the amendments. “I don’t think all of the citizens were represented on this issue, therefore I do not support it,” Collins stated.

“Quite often, misinformation is presented at these meetings and then the public is not given the opportunity to correct the misinformation. I would like to see this become more open, more inclusive and more accurate to the city’s needs.”

The medical cannabis community, which was largely comprised of business owners and patients groups, have been advocating to adjust the ordinance. This is because the Medical Marijuana Task Force that made recommendations to the city council has been cited as one-sided. The cannabis community claims that they did not get fair treatment while in the work group, and therefore the recommendations by the task force to the council do not represent their interests.

Jaymen Johnson attended every meeting for the task force, with the exception of one. Johnson is the Owner and Operator of Speakeasy Vape Lounge and Cannabis Club in Colorado Springs. He shared his experience of the group’s issues at a council meeting in early October. “This group is slowly becoming lopsided with no perceivable answer in sight, so we would ask that you would do more to make sure that all voices, all perspectives are being seen and considered,” Johnson said. “Quite often, misinformation is presented at these meetings and then the public is not given the opportunity to correct the misinformation. I would like to see this become more open, more inclusive and more accurate to the city’s needs.”

There are over 300 cannabis businesses operating within Colorado Springs, and this moratorium has been extended to May of 2017, which means the businesses affected cannot renew their leases that may expire before then. This is because they are unable to move from their current locations, which are not desirable, into locations that have been zoned for cannabis businesses. Councilman Andy Pico recognized this contradiction. “We need to come to some way to allow them to move to where we want them to go,” Pico stated.

Cannabis businesses in Colorado Springs have generated $2.6 million for the city this year alone, as reported by a Colorado Springs spokeswoman. While the amending of this zoning ordinance does not seem to hurt cannabis dispensaries operating in Downtown Colorado, it could affect the 46 manufacturers of cannabis-infused products in the city.