City’s Cannabis Planning Bill Nears $25,000 and Growing
Rick Langenberg
So much for the idea that legalizing retail marijuana is a time for free post-Woodstock celebrations, dancing in the rain and rock ‘n’ roll revivals.
In other words, it’s not all fun and games and so-called “reefer madness.”
Cripple Creek officials are learning real fast that opening the door for cannabis shops is a complex ordeal and not that cheap for would-be applicants and the city. Already, official estimates have indicated that the city has put out close to $25,000 in preliminary reefer planning expenses in the last few months, a price tag that undoubtedly will grow.
Despite the financial and regulatory hurdles involved, the Cripple Creek City Council took a major step forward last week in finalizing the rules for this burgeoning industry, a process that was kickstarted by strong approval by the voters last November.
With only a few staggering steps, the council cleared the pathway for the city to meet the deadline for a moratorium set to accept cannabis licenses. The council addressed such key rules as the pending selection process with more applicants than available licenses, the proposed taxes, fees and other details pertaining to the rules. The crux of these issues, part of 60-plus pages of cannabis business guidelines and rules, should get finalized on May 17.
Also, at last week’s meeting, the elected leaders made two key decisions in moving the town’s marijuana effort to the…
