The City of Fillmore has a complete ban on medical marijuana including personal growth, delivery, dispensaries and cultivation. We had a great turnout at the City Council’s study session on Monday, July 25 to listen to experts discuss the pros and cons of medical marijuana and recreational use marijuana. The City Council chambers were overflowing with residents stretched out to the foyer and beyond. Although the meeting was originally scheduled to end at 9:00 p.m., the City Council stayed past 11:00 p.m. to allow everyone present who wanted to provide public comment an opportunity to speak.

I am going to take the opportunity to correct some misconceptions.

• No dispensaries have been approved to operate within Fillmore. The City Council has not requested a discussion of whether dispensaries should be allowed. The only City Council action on dispensaries has been to ban them.
• The City has not recruited any cultivation businesses to open in the Business Park. The City was approached by several potential businesses and those business have looked at the Business Park.
• The approval of the 19 building buildings has expired. Future development on the site will require City approval.

Monday’s study session was held as the City Council is preparing for the possible approval of Proposition 64 which would allow recreational use and personal growth of marijuana. The City Council is very concerned about the passage of Proposition 64 and the negative impacts that recreational marijuana use will bring.

The City Council is not rushing into any decisions, but it does want to stay ahead of these issues - the community’s input on these issues is invaluable. The turnout at Monday’s meeting was wonderful. This is another example why Fillmore is the “Best Last Small Town.”