Zilos

Since several cities in the Sacramento area have banned or restricted medical marijuana dispensaries, Galt officials think the city may be approached in the near future about allowing one to open there.

To prepare for that possibility, the City Council will consider issuing a 45-day moratorium on medical marijuana at Tuesday's council meeting.

California voters approved The Compassionate Use Act of 1996, which allows people to obtain and use medical marijuana under certain specified circumstances.

However, Senate Bill 420, which took effect on Jan. 1, 2004, authorizes cities and counties to regulate the distribution of medical marijuana within their communities.

"As more cities regulate or ban medical marijuana dispensaries, it is increasingly likely that medical marijuana dispensaries may seek to locate in Galt in the immediate future," according to a written report by Police Chief Doug Matthews and City Attorney Tom Gibson.

The cities of Elk Grove, Rancho Cordova, Rocklin, Roseville, Citrus Heights, Woodland and Davis have adopted ordinances banning medical marijuana dispensaries or limited their location, according to the report.

Further, it claims, cities that allow medical marijuana to be distributed report an increase of burglaries, robberies and the sale of illicit drugs.

Matthews and Gibson recommend that the City Council adopt an urgency ordinance, which means that the typical 30-day waiting period would not be required once the ordinance is adopted.

During the 45-day moratorium, city staff would investigate the affects a medical marijuana dispensary would have on Galt.

The California Department of Health Services is creating a pilot program beginning in July to regulate medical marijuana identification cards issued by dispensaries. The largest one in California is the Oakland Cannabis Buyers Cooperative.

Sacramento, Yuba, Sonoma, Mendocino, Marin, Del Norte, Trinity, Shasta, Amador and Santa Cruz counties will participate in the pilot program in the summer to regulate medical marijuana identification cards. San Joaquin County declined. However, all 58 counties will participate by the end of the year.

The city of Lodi does not have an ordinance regulating medical marijuana, according to Police Chief Jerry Adams.

"We have talked about it, but at this point, we haven't had a big rush in this area. It's not a bad idea," he added of the moratorium.

Adams said the city of Lodi has higher priorities on its plate, such as the city budget.

Tuesday's council meeting begins at 7 p.m. at City Hall, 380 Civic Drive. It will be preceded by a 6 p.m. closed session to conduct contract negotiations with the Galt Police Officers Association and on Matthews' personal contract as police chief.

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