Commission discusses moving marijuana plants out of homes in Pueblo

The Pueblo Planning and Zoning Commission is holding off on a vote about where people can grow marijuana in the Steel City.

The commission met Wednesday to discuss an ordinance that would make people grow marijuana away from their home and it a detached building, like a shed or garage.

But the majority of the crowd at the meeting was against the new rules.

“If you have your own home, you should be allowed to grow it in your home,” Pueblo resident Betsy Maxwell said.

“I use it for the betterment of my health, the proposed ordinance would make it difficult for me to get my marijuana,” Clara Fox said.

But Ted Drummond, who is a supporter of the ordinance, said the new rules would make his neighborhood smell better. He said the area he lives in smells bad because of the marijuana odor.

People on the commission decided to move the vote after they heard the crowd’s concerns.

“It was suddenly people coming out and saying that ‘I can’t afford it, or it will place limitations on me to access my medical marijuana,’ so there were things we didn’t even anticipate,” Chairwoman Jean Latka said.

The commission will vote on this on Nov. 12 and it will only become a law if the Pueblo City Council votes to approve it.