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From the Gazette
License deadline nears for medical marijuana businesses
DANIEL CHACÓN
09/28/2011 9:42 AM
Colorado Springs police will start to crack down on medical marijuana businesses that fail to apply for a business license with the City Clerk’s Office by Friday’s deadline.
The City Council unanimously agreed Tuesday to direct police to begin enforcement Oct. 1.
“They will be treated like any other illegal marijuana grow operation that we investigate,” Cmdr. Thor Eells of the Metro Vice, Narcotics and Intelligence Division told council members. “Same process, same protocol.”
Medical marijuana businesses that pre-registered with the city by June 30 are required to apply for a business license by Friday. A business that fails to submit an application will be in noncompliance and deemed to be operating illegally if they keep their doors open.
There is no grace period for submitting an application.
Interim City Clerk Cindy Conway said the city will give applicants who meet Friday’s deadline 10 days to fix deficiencies in their applications. But the applications must be “substantially completed,” she said.
So far, the city has received about 25 applications. More than 180 businesses pre-registered with the city, although some businesses have closed.
Still, others may wait until the last minute to apply.
”That’s a lot of applications in three days,” Councilwoman Brandy Williams said.
The City Clerk’s Office said it notified every business that pre-registered of the looming deadline.
Earlier this month, industry advocates said businesses would probably wait until the very end to submit their applications because of the costs.
There’s a $2,200 application fee. Once approved, business owners must pay for whatever licenses apply to them. For example, the owner of a single medical marijuana dispensary will pay, at a minimum, $1,800 for a center license fee, plus $1,800 for an optional premises cultivation license fee.
License deadline nears for medical marijuana businesses
DANIEL CHACÓN
09/28/2011 9:42 AM
Colorado Springs police will start to crack down on medical marijuana businesses that fail to apply for a business license with the City Clerk’s Office by Friday’s deadline.
The City Council unanimously agreed Tuesday to direct police to begin enforcement Oct. 1.
“They will be treated like any other illegal marijuana grow operation that we investigate,” Cmdr. Thor Eells of the Metro Vice, Narcotics and Intelligence Division told council members. “Same process, same protocol.”
Medical marijuana businesses that pre-registered with the city by June 30 are required to apply for a business license by Friday. A business that fails to submit an application will be in noncompliance and deemed to be operating illegally if they keep their doors open.
There is no grace period for submitting an application.
Interim City Clerk Cindy Conway said the city will give applicants who meet Friday’s deadline 10 days to fix deficiencies in their applications. But the applications must be “substantially completed,” she said.
So far, the city has received about 25 applications. More than 180 businesses pre-registered with the city, although some businesses have closed.
Still, others may wait until the last minute to apply.
”That’s a lot of applications in three days,” Councilwoman Brandy Williams said.
The City Clerk’s Office said it notified every business that pre-registered of the looming deadline.
Earlier this month, industry advocates said businesses would probably wait until the very end to submit their applications because of the costs.
There’s a $2,200 application fee. Once approved, business owners must pay for whatever licenses apply to them. For example, the owner of a single medical marijuana dispensary will pay, at a minimum, $1,800 for a center license fee, plus $1,800 for an optional premises cultivation license fee.
