Longmont to hold forum on marijuana home grows

longmont» City officials and others will be on hand this morning to listen to community feedback about Longmont’s proposed marijuana home grow regulations.

The forum relates to a proposed ordinance that would limit marijuana home grows to six plants per residence. Medicalmarijuana proponents, patients and caregivers have told the City Council repeatedly during public comment at meetings that this would limit patients’ abilities to treat chronic illnesses at a low cost.

The proposed ordinance originally was scheduled for a first reading in September, but the council tabled it until members could get more feedback.

Additionally, the proposed ordinance would prohibit marijuana odors strong enough to be detected by people on the adjoining property line.

A part of the draft ordinance that generated public comment from those concerned about civil liberties says “in the case of an emergency involving imminent danger to public health, safety, or welfare, the public inspector may enter any residential structure within the city to conduct an emergency inspection related to the cultivation of marijuana plants without a warrant and without complying with the requirements of this section.”

Longmont police Officer Sara Aerne clarified to The Times-Call in September that the intent of that section about a warrantless entry is if a police officer is already in a home because of some other incident or perhaps is called into a home because of a medical emergency.

It’s not, Aerne said, intended to give police officers power to enter a home because a marijuana home grow somehow poses an imminent danger.

The forum on home grows will take place directly after this month’s Coffee with Council, which begins at 9 a.m. today. Coffee with Council allows residents an opportunity to talk with two council members on any subject.

Longmont assistant city attorney Teresa Taylor Tate said the format of the Saturday forum will be a short presentation about the proposed ordinance, followed by a panel discussion that is expected to include representatives from public safety and the cannabis industry.

At the end of the forum, city staffers will gather feedback to questions related to home grows and allow people to write their response on sticky notes and stick them on a wall.

Taylor Tate said the forum is not intended to gather feedback about people’s opinions supporting or opposing marijuana generally.

“Public invited to be heard at council meetings is a good time to talk about that, but for this we really wanted to narrow the focus and only talk about home grows,” Taylor Tate said.