Ban on cannabis clubs passes unopposed
By Kyle Jorrey kjorrey@theacorn.com

With little comment and no debate, the Simi Valley City Council has approved an ordinance prohibiting medical marijuana dispensaries within city limits.

Acting on the recommendations of city attorney David Hirsch and the local police department, the City Council this week voted 4-0 (Barbra Williamson was absent) in favor of the ordinance, ending what had been a nearly twoyear moratorium on the matter.

The moratorium was established in February 2005 after an individual made an inquiry to the city about opening a medical marijuana dispensary.

Not a single member of the public showed up at Monday’s meeting to comment on the issue, lending credence to Mayor Paul Miller’s statement last week that the residents of Simi Valley had no problem with the ban.

Miller reiterated that point Monday night.

“We did not have one person come down here to take issue with this, so my reading of the people in this city is they are not interested in such a thing,” Miller said.

“I didn’t get any e-mails on it, either,” Councilmember Glen Becerra added.

In passing the ordinance, Simi Valley becomes the first city in Ventura County to ban cannabis clubs.

San Pablo, a city in Northern California, was the state’s last municipality to pass a ban, approving its ordinance Nov. 6.