Medical pot regulations before board

The proposed regulation allowing medical marijuana growers and dispensaries is before the Carson City Board of Supervisors Thursday.

City officials expect it will draw many of the same people who testified for and against allowing those businesses in Carson City when it was debated by the planning commission May 28.

More than 20 people urged the planning commission not to support allowing any medical marijuana facilities in Carson City, while a half dozen others testified for opting in to the state law designed to provide medical marijuana cardholders legal access to their medicine.

The proposed ordinance would allow dispensaries in general-commercial zoning and both grow facilities and edible pot producers in general, light and airport industrial zoning.

The proposal also would bar such facilities within 1,000 feet for schools, churches and community facilities.

Planning commissioners voted 5-2 for the proposed ordinance.

Chairman George Wendell said the process was backward, that the supervisors should make the decision on whether to allow pot facilities before planners finalize the zoning rules.

If Carson City decides to permit pot facilities, state law would allow two dispensaries, two grow businesses — farms — and two producers of marijuana laced edibles in the capital.

The proposed ordinance is on the agenda for its first reading Thursday. A final vote on the issue will happen at a later meeting.

In addition, supervisors:

Are expected to accept a $15,500 grant from the Nevada State Historic Preservation Office on behalf of the National Parks Service for data collection and inventory to support the application to place the old Nevada State Prison on 5th Street on the National Register of Historic Places;

Will vote on whether to allocate up to $70,000 to the Carson Fairgrounds/Fuji Park events banner sign. The electronic billboard would be located along U.S. 395. The funding would consist of $30,000 from the Quality of Life Initiative, $20,000 from the Nevada Commission on Tourism and $20,000 in Redevelopment Authority money to match the tourism grant.

The meeting begins at 8:30 a.m. in the Sierra Room of the Community Center, 851 E. William St.