The Ashland City Council is following the lead of other Oregon cities, and considering a moratorium on medical marijuana dispensaries. The town faces six dispensary applications and mounting neighborhood opposition.
The Mail Tribune reports the council will discuss a temporary moratorium tomorrow night, in a meeting open to the public.
People hoping to launch dispensaries in Oregon began submitting applications to the state on March 3 as part of a new medical marijuana regulatory system. Two applicants have received business licenses in Ashland so far.
One of the dispensaries is in a business zone that abuts a neighborhood. State law does not allow dispensaries in residential zones, but they are allowed in mixed use, commercial, industrial and agricultural zones.
If councilors adopt an April first moratorium, it would be temporary. In a session earlier this year, the Oregon Legislature gave local jurisdictions the authority to implement dispensary moratoriums until May 2015 while they work out local rules for dispensaries.
City Attorney Dave Lohman said Ashland could adopt a moratorium retroactive to the beginning of March.