City Council approves moratorium on marijuana establishments

A new city ordinance will affect future marijuana facilities from opening in city limits over the next six months. City Council approved the moratorium on any new cannabis clubs at their meeting Tuesday night.

“I asked nearby businesses if I was a problem. They said no, I’m not a nuisance. They said no I’m not a problem,” said KC Stark.

Stark, the owner of Colorado Spring’s first cannabis club, Studio A64, says there’s never been a safety concern at his club.

City Council members say the proposed moratorium is necessary so over the next six months they can study and determine if cannabis clubs are a real threat to people’s safety.

“In the interim while these are being studied, we have to consider a moratorium on commercial marijuana activities so we don’t exasperate the problems,” said Mayor John Suthers.

The city will be looking at marijuana facilities’ proximity to schools, their property values and crime rate nearby.

“To my knowledge, our marijuana centers are safe. We’ve had no crime, no robberies, no police at our cannabis club in over two years. This seems like a witch hunt with no witch to hunt,” said Stark.

Others citizens disagreed arguing that marijuana is a dangerous substance.

As of now, the moratorium will only affect cannabis clubs. Council voted to exempt medical marijuana dispensaries. They will meet in three weeks to re-consider if they should also place the moratorium on medical marijuana dispensaries.

In the meantime, business owners like Stark say they’re not giving up.

“This is America, we are governed by ourselves, we have the right to the law, and if it’s not met we are prepared to sue the city,” said Stark.

There are at least five cannabis clubs in Colorado Springs. This ordinance will not affect any clubs that are currently open.