Colorado Springs City

A lot more than 100 folks poured into City Hall on Tuesday to oppose a suggested six-month moratorium on cannabis consumption clubs and medical cannabis businesses.

The meeting started at 1 p.m., as well as the opponents stayed till really after 7:30 p.m. to observe the City Council would vote.

The council in the end bifurcated the regulation, voting to impose the moratorium on cannabis groups but to postpone further conversation of medical cannabis for three months.

Councilman Bill Murray objected highly into very presentation associated with the regulation, saying the council has had almost per year to your workplace to eliminate the difficulties but unexpectedly was invoking disaster capabilities to push the ordinance through.

He over repeatedly demanded proof any "impending damage" posed by medical cannabis companies but got nothing.

Councilman Tom Strand voiced similar problems.

"it seems for me become a rushed procedure, albeit legal, that pushes united states toward edge of the cliff with transparency, " he said.

Councilman Don Knight took the podium normally utilized by market people to confess to his peers he ended up being "the instigator" associated with ordinance. A constituent known as Thursday evening about a marijuana club going into a strip mall within their area, Knight stated. As he discovered that the city has no permit process for these types of clubs, Knight requested the executive staff to your workplace on an ordinance.

They worked the weekend along with the ordinance prepared Monday, he said.

Some residents, as well as the Council of Neighborhoods and businesses, testified to get the ordinance. Police Chief Pete Carey and Fire Chief Christopher Riley later on talked on behalf of it as well.

But waves of opponents then followed.

One of them had been John Cureton, just who stated he owns a medical cannabis company, hires 29 men and women and hires consulting companies to make sure all things are done properly.

Today he's spent $440, 000 in a unique building, which he won't get until Oct. 9. If the moratorium passed, their home based business wouldn't be permitted.

"that is going to end me personally from broadening, from using more people, " he said. "Please separate the medical. We are completely different compared to consumption groups. That is all I ask is separate both of these."

Luther Bonow concurred, saying he's two health cannabis centers, "going on a 3rd, " and employs 52 people. He stated the moratorium would destroy attempts at two buildings he could be buying for $450, 000 and $425, 000.

"health cannabis has actually cameras every-where. We go extremely severe because we really want to play because of the rules. This moratorium could foil all of that. A lot of internet marketers will undoubtedly be regarding money, " Bonow said.

Lawyer Charles Houghton said he gave thousands of hours, at council's invite six years back, to simply help the Medical Marijuana Task energy write foibles.