{"id":7479,"date":"2017-06-14T04:33:27","date_gmt":"2017-06-14T04:33:27","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.denverpost.com\/?p=2682579"},"modified":"2017-06-14T04:33:27","modified_gmt":"2017-06-14T04:33:27","slug":"social-marijuana-use-in-denver-residents-and-business-owners-divided-on-rules-and-regulations-at-public-hearing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cannitrol.com\/blog\/social-marijuana-use-in-denver-residents-and-business-owners-divided-on-rules-and-regulations-at-public-hearing\/","title":{"rendered":"Social marijuana use in Denver: Residents and business owners divided on rules and regulations at public hearing"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"wp_fb_like_button\" style=\"margin:5px 0 5px 5px;float:right;height:100px;\"><script src=\"http:\/\/connect.facebook.net\/en_US\/all.js#xfbml=1\"><\/script><fb:like href=\"https:\/\/cannitrol.com\/blog\/social-marijuana-use-in-denver-residents-and-business-owners-divided-on-rules-and-regulations-at-public-hearing\/\" send=\"true\" layout=\"standard\" width=\"450\" show_faces=\"false\" font=\"arial\" action=\"like\" colorscheme=\"light\"><\/fb:like><\/div><p>Among the main concerns Tuesday night at a public hearing on social marijuana use at Denver businesses were <a href=\"http:\/\/www.denverpost.com\/2017\/02\/23\/denver-social-marijuana-advisory-group-alcohol\/\">dual consumption of pot and alcohol<\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.denverpost.com\/2017\/06\/07\/pot-grow-smells-lawsuits\/\">cannabis odors<\/a>, visibility and protecting children from exposure to the drug.<\/p>\n<p>The hearing at the Wellington E. Webb Municipal Office Building before\u00a0Ashley Kilroy, Denver\u2019s executive director of marijuana policy, drew more than 100 people with dozens of speakers.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_2370502\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone size-article_inline\"><img width=\"4092\" class=\"lazyload \" alt=\"In this Dec. 31, 2012 file photo, Rachel Schaefer, of Denver, smokes marijuana on the official opening night of Club 64, a marijuana-specific social club, where a New Year's Eve party was held in Denver.\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">\n<p>Brennan Linsley, AP File<\/p>\n<p>In this Dec. 31, 2012 file photo, Rachel Schaefer, of Denver, smokes marijuana on the official opening night of Club 64, a marijuana-specific social club, where a New Year\u2019s Eve party was held in Denver.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>\n<p>For the most part, lines were drawn with Denver residents supporting <a href=\"http:\/\/www.denverpost.com\/2017\/05\/11\/denver-social-marijuana-use-proposed-rules\/\">current proposals for rules and regulations<\/a>, which have not yet been adopted, and marijuana business\u00a0entrepreneurs saying that the proposed rules and regulations are overbearing.<\/p>\n<p>Sherri Way, president of the West Washington Park Neighborhood Association, said the group board voted 11-0 recently to support current proposed regulations. Still, she voiced concerns about <a href=\"http:\/\/www.denverpost.com\/2017\/05\/18\/legally-smoking-pot-colorado\/\">potential visibility of smokers on outdoor patios<\/a> and asked for vigilance of outdoor buffers and residential zones.<\/p>\n<p>Gertie Grant, a West Washington Park longtime resident, said she walks near a marijuana grow operation and often smells strong odors from the business. She described it as a \u201cskunk smell.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cPlease don\u2019t let Denver become more of a skunk city,\u201d Grant implored, asking for strong odor regulations.<\/p>\n<p>Emmett Reistroffer, campaign director for Initiative 300 and a member of the city\u2019s Social Consumption Advisory Committee, said \u201c99 percent\u201d of business people who were interested in applying for a social consumption license are \u201cno longer interested\u201d because the proposed rules are too restrictive.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhen I read the rules today, we can\u2019t even get off the ground,\u201d Reistroffer said.<\/p>\n<p>Entrepreneurs will not spend thousands of dollars on clean-air systems, walled patios and security measures, among other potential expenses, when the potential for profit is questionable: \u201cFor what, to sell a cup of coffee?\u201d Reistroffer asked.<\/p>\n<p>Under proposed regulations, social consumption businesses will not be allowed to sell marijuana. Instead, patrons will bring their own.<\/p>\n<p>Among a long list of proposed rules, designated consumption areas can\u2019t be within 1,000 feet of child care businesses, drug and alcohol facilities or city-owned recreation areas and pools.<\/p>\n<p>Such zoning will force social consumption businesses to the edge of the city in mostly industrial areas, opponents of the rules argued.<\/p>\n<p>An ordinance already exists keeping such potential businesses 1,000 feet away from schools.<\/p>\n<p>In November 2016, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.denverpost.com\/2016\/11\/14\/denver-social-marijuana-use-measure-wide-lead-updated-results\/\">Denver voters approved\u00a0Initiative 300<\/a>, granting businesses the ability to apply for a permit to allow for adult marijuana consumption in designated areas.<\/p>\n<p>Applications are now available, through the\u00a0Denver Excise &amp; Licenses office. But they\u2019ll not\u00a0be accepted and permits will not be issued until final rules and regulations are adopted. Final adoption could come this month, with permits being granted in July.<\/p>\n<p>Among a long string of proposed application requirements are:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>National criminal background checks for on-site employees.<\/li>\n<li>Compliance with the Colorado Clean Indoor Air Act.<\/li>\n<li>Evidence of community support, including restrictions on advertising and operational requirements.<\/li>\n<li>\u00a0A security plan to control and monitor potential criminal activity on the premises.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The initiative, which was passed by 53.7 percent of 168,995 voters, calls for a\u00a0four-year pilot program allowing some businesses, including\u00a0cafes and yoga studios, to seek permits.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019re still fighting to overcome stigma that is rooted in a history of prohibition, and now it appears the city is trying to keep consumers hidden and as far away from the mainstream as possible,\u201d Reistroffer said.<\/p>\n<p>An approved permit will be non-transferable and not valid for \u201cany other location,\u201d according to proposed regulations. The permit will also be considered a \u201crevocable privilege.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>No permit would be granted to any business that serves alcohol.<\/p>\n<aside class=\"related right\" \/>\n<p>After the November election, state licensing officials announced rules, effective Jan. 1, that banned marijuana consumption on a premises with a liquor license. In addition, already-licensed marijuana businesses, including dispensaries, cannot allow consumption on premises under state law.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe have seen an overwhelming show of support for this initiative among Denver residents,\u201d said Kayvan Khalatbari, an opponent of proposed rules. \u201cWhile we are eager to finally see the program go into effect, we are concerned that not nearly as many businesses can participate as our campaign intended, as a result of new restrictions proposed by the city.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>No dual consumption of marijuana and alcohol, controlling cannabis odors and visibility, and protecting children from exposure were among main concerns voiced Tuesday night at a public hearing on Initiative 300, which will allow social marijuana use at approved Denver businesses. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[5062,6811,6857,6847,6957,6861,6813,77,5577,6814,6815,5667,6886,9,5019,441,6845,1,3,61,1736],"tags":[5063,6816,6859,6850,6960,6862,6818,2655,5580,6819,6820,5673,6889,5022,3015,6846],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cannitrol.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7479"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/cannitrol.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/cannitrol.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannitrol.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannitrol.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7479"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/cannitrol.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7479\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cannitrol.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7479"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannitrol.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7479"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannitrol.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7479"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}