LAKEPORT — The City Council put its unanimous stamp of approval on both a new medicinal marijuana ordinance and a 2013-14 fiscal budget at Tuesday”s meeting at City Hall.
Neither proposal faced a word of opposition at a meeting that lasted about 90 minutes and managed to address a number of other issues on which council members all seemed to be in agreement.
The marijuana cultivation ordinance, which goes into effect in 30 days, is basically the same document that was reviewed with public comments on May 21.
Title 17, Chapter 17.38 of the municipal code will restrict the cultivation of medicinal pot to “detached accessory buildings,” limit the grow areas to a maximum of 80 square feet and require security and odor control measures to be in place.
The ordinance is a result of several months of discussions and compromises, including input from a committee of “stakeholders” that included city staff, elected officials and proponents of the cultivation and use of marijuana for medicinal purposes.
Police Chief Brad Rasmussen, who was on that committee, said following Tuesday 5-0 council vote, “It”s an ordinance that works well in the city of Lakeport. We”re happy with it.”
Supporters of the ordinance say it achieves “an appropriate balance” between applicable state laws and the city”s legal right to establish reasonable regulations that promote “public health and safety” and the rights of Lakeport residents to be free of “nuisance odors and other detrimental effects” of marijuana cultivation.
Rasmussen said he will work with the city”s Community Development Department to get the word out to the public on the specifics of the ordinance.
Critics of the ordinance, most notably attorney Ron Green, who surprised some people by not attending Tuesday”s second reading, has argued that by limiting cultivation to secure, accessory buildings, the measure would discriminate against low-income users who don”t have access to or can”t afford the type of detached structure and electrical enhancements needed for successful growing.
The new $14.4 million budget was approved with similar rapidity and vigor.
“You did a great job,” Mayor Tom Engstrom told finance director Daniel Buffalo, whose summary of the 245-page budget impressed council members earlier this month. “You made it so it was easy to understand.”
The philosophy behind the new budget is basically to spend as much money as possible because in the long run, it”s going to save the city money.
Buffalo convinced council members that with interest rates at historic lows and expenses continuing to rise, it”s the right time to take on major projects before they”re unaffordable.
The general fund is balanced for the coming year and economic development projects get a lot of attention.
The capital improvement plan in which the city plans to invest includes $3.73 on water and sewer projects that are partly financed with low-interest loans from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Projected revenues from Measure I, the general sales tax approved by Lakeport voters in 2004, are $700,000, about half of which would go to public works for streets and parks.
In other agenda items Tuesday, the council gave Rasmussen its approval for the police department to contract with Lake County for a server upgrade, and agreed in principle for an increase in commercial sewer allotments from eight units to 10 units.
The council postponed until its next meeting on July 2 the consideration of a request from Melissa Maberry to utilize Library Park to conduct free Zumba classes.
Rich Mellott is a staff reporter for Lake County Publishing. He can be reached at 263-5636, ext. 14, or rmellott@record-bee.com.
