Co. Springs passes law to drastically limit where rec. marijuana shops could be, if legalized in Nov.
A YES vote for the city proposition means a ban on recreational pot and the city charter would be amended to include the ban.
A NO vote would keep city laws as is, which does not currently allow recreational sales from happening within the city charter.
A YES vote on Ballot Question 300 means recreational pot would be sold at existing medical marijuana stores.
A NO vote would keep the city's situation as is, with no recreational pot sales in city limits.
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) - A Colorado Springs City ordinance could essentially block recreational marijuana from being sold within the city limits, even if voters choose to allow it after the November election.
The city council passed a measure this week that would preemptively ban the sale of recreational pot within a one-mile radius of a school, daycare, or various types of substance treatment facilities. Their goal is to protect vulnerable and young populations.
They say that the results of cities like Denver having recreational pot widely available because of an abundance of shops, along with the impact that smoking marijuana can have on the mental health of younger demographics, and their decision making, as reasons they passed the ordinance.
You can view a map of the city below, which has placed the one-mile buffer zones (colored in different shades of blue) over each K-12 educational building, daycare and childcare center and substance treatment facility.
Opponents to the City's measure, argue that the ordinance leaves little to no space at all, within the Colorado Springs for recreational sales to happen, if only in the southeastern corner of the city.
They say that frustration is emboldened by the fact that if recreational pot was legalized by voters, it would only be allowed to be sold through existing medical marijuana shops, which there are none of in the unaffected areas by the one-mile buffer.
Colorado Springs city councilwoman Yolanda Avila was one of the two 'No' votes against the 7-2 passing of the ordinance this week, and said it was certainly passed with a goal in mind.
"Oh, it's deliberate. It's deliberate. Very clever. I got to give them kudos to put the ban and then saying, well, if it does pass, we're going to make the zoning law." explained the councilwoman.
Fellow councilwoman, and next-door office neighbor Lynette Crow-Iverson, who is also President Pro-Tem, is the one who crafted the ballot measure and had it approved by city council leading up to the August 9 deadline.
"We believe that with recreational marijuana, because of the high potency, [and] compared to what's happening in other cities with our youth, that we wanted to protect them." explained Crow-Iverson.
In the meantime, thousands of citizens gathered the necessary amount of signatures to get a counter-ballot measure for November, to give voters the option of legalizing recreational marijuana sales instead.
Employees of medical marijuana stores, say that legalizing recreational pot to be sold in their businesses would not only lower the prices of their medical products, but also generate taxable revenue for the city of Colorado Springs.
"It is very frustrating just because I do know a lot of people who really want it in this town, and [yet] it's very restrictive." said Jenna Long, who works at The Green Source on S. 8th Street just west of downtown Colorado Springs.
Councilwoman Avila, echoed the same point, saying that residents go to shop in Manitou Springs, or Pueblo for recreational pot, that the city might as well allow it and capitalize on the sales. She also argues that dispensaries are highly regulated, making the product safer for consumption for those who buy from them, instead of getting products off the streets.
"It is here. Let's take the opportunity of using the revenue, instead of letting other cities and towns and the black market benefit from that. Let's do good with this." Avila said.
However, Councilwoman Crow-Iverson contends that the revenue from taxing pot sales is not worth it, or as much as her opponents claim it would be. The councilwoman says that in 2022, when citizens created a ballot initiative for legalizing recreational marijuana in the city, which ultimately failed, their estimations were for about $5.6 million dollars in yearly revenue.
"That's not even a sliver of our budget. $5.6 million is nothing." stated Crow-Iverson about the City of Colorado Springs' budget, "When you talk about the social use, you talk about the E.R. visits, you talk about the crime, you talk about the homelessness, You talk about one suicidal kid. You talk about the devastation of families and the breakdown of families, because the high potency of THC, you talk about the mental health issue, $5.6 million is nothing compared to a child's life, in my opinion." she added.
Employees like Long with Green Source, say there's tangible benefits to cannabis products, and marijuana for a wide range of physical and mental ailments.
"There is a lot of things that [marijuana] is helpful for, whereas like alcohol, I have definitely seen one on every single block, [with] no restrictions, you could buy it at Walmart." said Long., "Where [marijuana] is used medically, it's just so helpful for cancer patients, for kids with autism, it'll help mellow them out. And people like me with severe epilepsy." she said.
Despite the passing of the ordinance, both questions will still be on the ballot this November.
