Medical marijuana dispensaries, services of cultivation and making foodstuffs would be limited to industrial and commercial zones in the Colorado Springs area and prohibited for provision within 400 ft. of residential areas, schools, drug and alcohol abuse rehab centers, and residential child day care homes under the rules issued by city planners and architects.

If the suggested land-use and zoning regulations will get approved, the proposal would be brought up prior to City Council in October, Steve Tuck, the superintendent planner of the rules’ drafting, stated. Tuck said that it is not surprising to have certain arguments, since they’ve had general agreement on the proposed zoning categorization. He also said that there is a lot of discordance on the 400-foot limit. The rules were drawn by Steve Tuck and representatives of the Home Builders Association, the Council of Neighbors and Organizations (CONO), the Colorado Springs Medical Marijuana Council and members of the alcohol and rehab associations.

The main suggestion was the spacing regulations akin to those adopted by the City Council for the pre-application period. This relates to an interim direction enacted in May to permit potential businesses related to medical marijuana Colorado Springs to register and elude a July 1 final date and qualify for a Colorado business certificate according to a new state law that now regulates the industry.

More than 450 pre-applications were registered, but just 176 medical marijuana dispensary Colorado facilities and cultivation sites are open in Colorado Springs at the moment. Some active shops won’t be allowed by the new regulations, since they are located within the 400 ft. limit. The same issue relates to certain residential areas and all of them would need to be closed.

Tuck also stated that the rules formulated by his group are meant to comfort everyone – neighborhoods and all the business related to medical marijuana in Colorado. Of course, it won’t protect everybody’s interests. Tuck mentioned that their proposal would put several medical marijuana dispensary Colorado facilities that processed pre-applications out of business.

The 400-foot buffer area is much shorter than the 1,000 ft. zoning suggested by CONO for residential day care premises, schools, and drug and alcohol rehab centers. CONO’s president, Dave Munger said that they assume 1,000 ft. is a good distance and setback. Munger is also running for mayor position in next April’s ballot. He also mentioned that there will be a 500 ft. separation from the closest dwelling.

CONO is expected to bring up its suggestions to the Planning Commission. But Munger emphasized that his company wasn’t trying to be a filibuster to medical marijuana in Colorado Springs. He also stated that the proposed regulations won’t cause a perceptible disadvantage to the industry of medical marijuana in Colorado Springs and its patients. They simply try to come up with sensible rules, which would supply effective distribution with a least negative influence on neighborhoods and their dwellers.

While Steve Tuck’s community has brought up land-use and zoning regulations, the City Clerk’s Office is developing regulations for the way the services of medical marijuana Colorado Springs will be licensed, their fees, and other provisions. These rules’ outline will go directly to City Council, since they really need the approval of Planning Commission.