Sebastopol says one pot dispensary is enough

The one medical marijuana dispensary in Sebastopol, a city of 7,300, should be enough to serve the community's needs, the City Council has decided.

The council Tuesday night voted to urge county officials to reject a proposed medical marijuana dispensary just outside the city limits, complaining it would impact the city while outside the city's control.

"We allow for the needs of the medical cannabis community already," said Mayor Guy Wilson. "I don't feel it's useful for us to support this."

The council also directed the city planning commission to amend Sebastopol's ordinance regulating medical marijuana dispensaries to allow just one within the city limits, not two.

A dispensary that would be called Suite 215, is proposed by Michael and Victoria Stokes of Sebastopol for their flooring store at 1225 Gravenstein Highway.

The site is within the city's urban growth boundary, but outside city limits, limiting the City Council to an advisory role.

The council voted 5-0 to send a letter of opposition to to the county.

The Stokes have applied to the county planning commission for a zoning change and use permit for a dispensary serving up to 400 medical marijuana patients.

City residents complained that the dispensary site is too close to residential areas, is across the street from a Buddhist Temple that has many youth events and would create traffic problems.

"This would be awful for youth, awful for seniors and awful for drivers whether you are medicated or not," said resident Doug Emery.

Victoria Stokes, however, said they would work with the city and opponents to resolve any issues. "We have shown that we will work with the community; it is our community too," Stokes said.

Councilwoman Kathleen Shaffer said the county needs to look at the proximity of proposed dispensaries to others in the area.

"The county needs to improve its ordinance," Shaffer said. "There are no set numbers. How many dispensaries do you need for how many people?"

Sebastopol's ordinance allows for two dispensaries within the city limits and for home and collective gardens, but it would not have allowed a dispensary in that location, city officials said.

There is one dispensary within the city, Peace in Medicine Healing Center, which at one time had proposed opening a second site, but executive director Robert Jacob said it was decided that there isn't a demand.

The council also voted 5-0 to direct Sebastopol planners to amend its ordinance to allow only one dispensary. The resolution will come back at the next council meeting for approval.