Laserfiche WebLink
<br />ORDINANCE NO. NS-2694 <br /> <br />AM EMERGENCY ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF <br />SANTA ANA EXTENDING THE TEMPORARY <br />MORATORIUM ON THE CONSTRUCTION OR <br />ESTABLISHMENT OF MEDICAL MARIJUANA <br />DISPENSARIES <br /> <br />THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA ANA DOES ORDAIN AS <br />FOLLOWS: <br /> <br />Section 1. The City Council of Santa Ana hereby finds, determines and <br />declares as follows: <br /> <br />A. Provisions of the General Plan of the City and Chapter 41 of the Santa Ana <br />Municipal Code do not specifically identify medical marijuana dispensaries as <br />land use or designate zoning districts throughout the City where medical <br />marijuana dispensaries may be permitted. <br /> <br />B. For this reason, on July 18, 2005, at a regularly scheduled public meeting the <br />City Council adopted Ordinance No. NS-2693, which established a <br />moratorium on the construction or establishment of a medical marijuana <br />dispensary (hereafter "the moratorium ordinance"). By its own terms the <br />moratorium ordinance expires 45 days following its adoption <br /> <br />C. Because of its age, current provisions of the Santa Ana Municipal Code fail to <br />fully take into account the potential impacts associated with the establishment <br />of medical marijuana dispensaries and fail to address the needs of the City <br />and its residents today and in the future. As such, provisions of the General <br />Plan and the Santa Ana Municipal Code ("the Code") need review, study and <br />possible revision in order to respond to recent concerns relating to the <br />impacts of medical marijuana dispensaries and the potential establishment of <br />new medical marijuana dispensaries in the City. <br /> <br />D. Given these concerns, the City Council has requested, in adopting the <br />moratorium ordinance, that a study be undertaken of the current provisions of <br />the General Plan and Chapter 41 if the Code to classify medical marijuana <br />dispensaries and determine whether such businesses should be permitted in <br />the City and if so, where, and under what conditions. <br /> <br />E. Without adoption of an extension to the moratorium ordinance, properties in <br />the City would quickly receive entitlements to establish medical marijuana <br />dispensaries despite the fact that the city council has determined that the <br />Code is in need of updating and has directed that a study be done to <br />recommend new standards and revise the Code to address concerns created <br />by medical marijuana dispensaries. <br /> <br />Ordinance No. NS - 2694 <br />Page 1 of 5 <br />