Arizona Republic:  “Planning officials across the state have been discussing and drafting zoning restrictions for medical-marijuana dispensaries for the past two months, in case voters approve Proposition 203, the Arizona Medical Marijuana Act.  According to Prop. 203, local jurisdictions could impose ‘reasonable’ zoning restrictions for dispensaries.  In an effort to provide a model that local jurisdictions can modify and follow, the League of Arizona Cities and Towns on Thursday released a uniform guideline for dispensary zoning restrictions.”

See “Cities preparing restrictions on marijuana dispensaries,” which has these interesting statements by Will Humble, the Director of the Arizona Department of Health Services:

““I don’t want to end up issuing a license for a dispensary next to their public pool or something, . . . If I allocate by county then I have an opportunity to provide more robust coverage in all parts of the state and minimize the potential for too many self-growers”

Tucson will consider a medical marijuana dispensary zoning ordinance at a city council meeting on November 9, 2010.  Here are some of the restrictions contained in the proposed ordinance:

  • must be in areas zoned commercial
  • cannot be within 1,000 feet of another MMD, a school, church, drug treatment facility or a park
  • may not exceed 2,500 square feet
  • open 9 – 5 only
  • no drive through service
  • no delivery service
  • growing facilities limited to 3,000 square feet