The Cottage on Highland just past the Hollywood bowl across from the Starbucks on Franklin street was clearly scared of the repercussions the city warned would take place if they stayed open for business. They shut down earlier than necessary, which sucks because this place offers great deals on great strains even though the hours are shit. 11am-9pm. That all does not matter now because it will be left to what happens next in the city council offices in Downtown LA to determine whether places like these can still remain open for business.
The fateful day that spells so-called doom for all the dispensaries in Los Angeles has come. Since the last post a few things have brought doubts as to whether or not the ban will still be in place, and if shops will actually close down.
City Hall's attorney-in-chief Carmen Trutanich had this to say in a letter the day before the ban was supposed to go into place:
"From the date the referendum petition was received and throughout the time it will take for the City Clerk to verify the signatures on the referendum petition (estimated 15-45 days), the City Attorney's Office will not enforce Ordinance 182190. The ordinance may or may not remain suspended after the City Clerk's review depending on whether the City Clerk determines that the petition contains the required number of valid voter signatures."
The referendum refers to the abundance of signatures that were received via petition, over 50,000 (over double what was needed), and they all must be verified to make sure nobody signed twice and that the people who did participate are of legal status in the country. Ordinance 182190 refers to the recent ban on dispensaries within Los Angeles. As long as all the voter's signature check out, the "ban" will be lifted and in the meantime will not be enforced.
This does not mean that shops are still not being shut down by raids. This also does not mean that shops are closing down , like The Cottage, in fear of what federal law enforcement agents may do even though the city ban will no longer be enforced.
Trutanich goes on to say in the letter:
"... The business of medical marijuana continues to be an unpermitted land use in the City. Further, as stated on all City business tax registration certificates, a tax registration certificate does not constitute a license, permit, or land use approval; it is solely a tax collection document."
A handful of collectives have been raided since the "gentle ban" was put into place and they have mainly been in the San Fernando Valley.
This is generally good news that the so-called ban in LA is on its way out.