ROSEVILLE PLAN WOULD LIMIT NEW POT SHOPS

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ROSEVILLE PLAN WOULD LIMIT NEW POT SHOPS

Four months after Roseville's first medical marijuana store opened its
doors, city officials are looking at regulations that would limit
others from setting up shop.

"If I can do something to remove this from our community, I'm going to
do it," Mayor F.C. "Rocky" Rockholm said. "But if we have to have
them, then we need to control them."

The Roseville City Council today will consider enacting an emergency
ordinance restricting where medical marijuana stores could open and
how they could operate.

Based on proposed zoning rules, shops would be allowed in only two
areas of the city - across from the Galleria mall or an industrial
area in old Roseville. A state law enacted last year attempted to
clarify a voter-approved initiative that allowed people to use and
cultivate marijuana for medical purposes. However, local jurisdictions
were left with the responsibility of coming up with their own
guidelines for regulating sales.

Elk Grove and Citrus Heights recently established restrictions.

When Richard Marino opened Capitol Compassionate Care in Roseville's
historic district last January, however, all he needed was a standard
business license to set up shop.

Caught off guard, the city had no choice but to issue Marino a
license.

Since then, Roseville police spokeswoman DeeDee Gunther said, several
other groups have inquired about opening marijuana dispensaries in
town.

"One reason that made Roseville especially attractive was that we
didn't have any regulations, unlike Citrus Heights and Elk Grove,"
Gunther said. "So we decided it was time."

The proposed ordinance, classifying medical marijuana shops as
"sole-source pharmacies," would permit them to operate only in some
commercial and industrial areas.

They would have to be at least 500 feet from churches, schools, parks,
homes and other sole-source pharmacies such as methadone clinics.

In addition, special permits would require operators to provide police
with identifying and historical information about themselves,
employees and any independent contractors.

"We're just trying to make it as safe and legal as possible within the
constraints of the existing state law," Gunther said.

The ordinance also would:

* Limit operating hours to 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

* Require records be maintained for all patients a
nd primary
caregivers, using identification card numbers issued by the Placer
County health department.