After deep analysis and the use of ArcGIS technology, I have come to the conclusion that I am against the proposed ordinance requiring 1,000-foot Buffer Zones around places where children congregate. If you look at my GIS map I have mapped every school, library, and park in the City of Los Angeles and also put the proposed 1,000-foot buffer-zone around each one. As you can see from the map there are a lot of areas where Medical Marijuana facilities will not be allowed to be located. One may object that even with the buff-zones there are spaces where medical marijuana clubs could be located. This is true and I do believe that there should be some regulation on how close the dispensaries can be to children, but this ordinance is too ambiguous. It will open up the door for anyone trying to find a way to close down medical marijuana clubs. Anyone could potentially be able to argue and add more places where children might congregate. A policy like this should have more specific rhetoric.
Another reason I am against this ordinance is that it may close down medical marijuana clubs that are already fall into one of the proposed 1,000 feet buffer zones. If a medical marijuana club is breaking this ordinance once it is passed, are they subject to criminal charges? Will the city facilitate the sale of their property? These questions need to be answered before I could support such a policy. If at the time any store opened legally and then later it is deemed that they cannot be there anymore, then it is not their fault and they should not be penalized.
The emergence of so many medical marijuana clubs in The City of Los Angeles is a problem and should be dealt with. This specific policy is not the right way to go. It is too ambiguous and penalizes people who unintentionally are in the wrong. I would support a policy that restricted clubs locations near specific places to keep them away from children and at the same time proposed ways to help the owners of clubs that violate the new policy.
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