The Crested Butte News Serving the Gunnison Valley since 1999
State law still a skeleton
The Crested Butte Town Council refused a request by Richard Haley of Western Holistics to revise the town’s medical marijuana ordinance. The council said they would review the regulations in August after the new state law had a chance to evolve.
Haley hoped to be able to put in an application to the town if one of the five approved applicants dropped out soon. “I’m a small local business trying to service local patients with medicine and I just want the opportunity to continue that,” he said.
“You had the opportunity to apply and our current ordinance restricts when such businesses are allowed to apply,” mayor Leah Williams said. “Applications had to be submitted by March 1.”
Town manager Susan Parker said the idea was to focus staff time on reviewing applications at the same time to efficiently utilize town staff time. “We’ll bring this back up in August and take a look at what worked well and what didn’t,” she said. “This was our first time at this and we will have to look at some suggested modifications.”
Town attorney John Belkin said the state law is still a skeleton that would have flesh put on its bones through the next several months. “Honestly, the state law won’t get fleshed out until late this year.”
Councilperson Roland Mason suggested the town stay with what is currently on the books and watch how the state progresses. “We shouldn’t be making changes every month,” he said.
“My dilemma,” said Haley, “is you are forcing my business to move outside this community. As of July 1, I won’t be able to give my patients medicine under the state law unless I can at least submit an application.”
“We will look at it again later this summer,” responded Williams. “We allowed for five applications and we have five. But none of them have even opened yet. There’s nothing we can do so let’s meet about it again in August and go from there.”
Councilperson Jim Schmidt said he was willing to make the needed changes to open up the process a bit more after reviewing the ordinance in August. So until then, there will be no changes made. Haley remarked he would probably have to relocate.
