LAKE WORTH, WHICH HAS 2, BANS MORE POT DISPENSARIES

Lake Worth leaders controlling ‘what our city looks like.’

LAKE WORTH — Lake Worth said two medical marijuana dispensaries in the city is enough after city commissioners voted Thursday to not add any more.

The city already has two facilities — Knox Medical at 1 S. Dixie Highway opened in November 2017 and Curaleaf launched at 1125 S. Dixie Highway in January. Both serve Lake Worth and the surrounding areas and offer home delivery.

The American Marijuana Medical Association recommends there should be one facility per 50,000 residents. Lake Worth has 38,000 residents.

“At this point, we think the two are in place (are enough),” Mayor Pam Triolo said after the 4-1 vote.

Commissioner Omari Hardy was the lone dissenter.

“A huge percentage of our voters supported medical marijuana in the city, but we still have the right and obligation as a city on how we want this to look and feel in our city,” Hardy said. “A ban on additional medical marijuana dispensaries in not only to some extent, a thumb in the nose to the voters, but it’s also just overkill.”

Curaleaf had been in hot water for months because of its proximity to Academy for Positive Learning, an A-rated public charter school across the street.

But Palm Beach County Sheriff ’s Capt. Todd Bear told commissioners last month there were zero complaints at both locations and minimal calls for service.

Some residents weren’t happy with the vote.

“To ban the growth of more to me didn’t make any sense,” said Ryan Orblander.

Tammy Pansa said it feels as if the commission was giving in.

“In effect, you are banning all marijuana dispensaries, but the two that are there will be grandfathered and they are allowed to stay,” Pansa said. “You’re doing the right thing by keeping them but more should be allowed in other areas.”

Vice Mayor Andy Amoroso said he supports medical marijuana and the legalization of pot, but he also supports residents’ rights to know and make decisions on what’s best for the city.

“But I’m not opposed to someone coming in and saying we may want to put another one in a certain area of the city and they may come to us and we may vote for it,” he said. “But I agree on putting a ban on it to control what our city looks like. I think we’re doing the right thing.”

Commissioner Scott Maxwell, however, didn’t see what all the fuss was about.

“You can drive two minutes in either direction — south, north or west to get any service you want,” he said. “So what’s the big hoopla over banning it?”

The city can reverse the ban if it wants.

Peggy Fisher said the marijuana sold at the facility isn’t the type of pot someone smokes on the back porch to get high.

“This is sort of ridiculous,” Fisher said.