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Election Results
Passing
2,000 votes yes (54.44%)
1,674 votes no (45.56%)
Shall the City ban marijuana storefront dispensaries and all other cannabis business activities in the City?
What is this proposal?
Details — Official information
Impartial analysis / Proposal
Rick R. Olivarez, City Attorney
On September 18, 2017, the San Fernando City Council ("City Council") adopted Urgency Ordinance No. 1669 ("Ordinance No. 1669") which prohibits (bans) all medicinal and adult-use commercial cannabis activities throughout the City, excluding medicinal-only cannabis deliveries originating from qualified licensed retailers located outside of the City's boundaries. Ordinance No. 1669 was adopted by the City Council, therefore its prohibitions can always be repealed by the City Council (either in whole or in part) at a later time without voter approval.
Measure MJ (the "Measure"), if approved, would effectively maintain the prohibitions established under Ordinance No. 1669 such that the prohibition on medicinal and adult-use commercial cannabis activities in the City could only be repealed by San Fernando voters at a subsequent City election. The City Council would no longer have authority to repeal the prohibitions on their own.
Like Ordinance No. 1669, the Measure prohibits (bans) all adult-use and medicinal commercial cannabis/marijuana business activities within San Fernando's city limits, including, but not limited to:
- Storefront and non-storefront retail sales
- Cultivation
- Manufacturing
- Distribution
- Laboratory testing
- Cultivation
- Nurseries
- Microbusiness
- Cannabis events
As with the current City Council established ban, the Measure does not ban those cannabis-related activities that the City is prohibited from banning under State law, such as medicinal-only cannabis deliveries originating from qualified licensed retailers located outside the City.
If the Measure is not approved, the status quo would remain. In other words, the Measure's failure would not mandate the repeal of the prohibitions already in place under Ordinance No. 1669, however, the City Council would retain authority and discretion to repeal those prohibitions at any time in the future without having to get voter approval first.
Published Arguments — Arguments for and against
Arguments FOR
Vote "YES" on Measure MJ to Ban Marijuana Dispensaries and All Other Cannabis Activities
Vote YES to ban retail marijuana dispensaries and all other commercial marijuana activity in the City of San Fernando. This measure protects the City from the marijuana industry by prohibiting retail marijuana stores from opening near homes, schools, parks, or anywhere else in San Fernando.
In cities around California the unrealistic promises about new tax revenues miss projections while marijuana activity has created public nuisances. Moreover, commercial cannabis would negatively impact San Fernando's budget - marijuana shops increase crime and require greater law enforcement and regulatory oversight that taxpayers cannot afford. Dispensaries will place a heavy burden on San Fernando Police Department because many shops are all-cash businesses that attract criminal activity and create greater risks to public safety.
A YES vote will restrict any future City Council from permitting marijuana dispensaries, grow houses, smoking cafes, or other cannabis businesses from operating in San Fernando. Without a YES vote on this measure, councilmembers could allow marijuana shops and cafes to overwhelm San Fernando. There is no guarantee of adequate tax revenues. Voting YES will safeguard our community, insulate our budget and block cannabis retail shops from our city.
JOEL FAJARDO
Mayor
HECTOR A. PACHECO
Vice Mayor
SYLVIA BALLIN
Council Member
MARY MENDOZA
Council Member
Arguments AGAINST
NO ARGUMENT AGAINST THIS MEASURE WAS SUBMITTED
