Curbs on marijuana approved by council

A ban on the sale, distribution and delivery of non-medicinal marijuana was approved by the Huntington Beach City Council on Monday night.

On a 7-0 vote, the council passed an amendment to the city’s municipal code, which will exercise the city’s right – under Proposition 64 – to ban such cannabis-related activities. Although California voters approved the sale, cultivation and use of recreational marijuana, the measure also allowed for local governments to opt out of that authorization. City councils in Garden Grove and Westminster have done so.

The city planning commission also earlier approved the amendment, which allows for indoor cultivation of six marijuana plants for personal use. Such activity must be fully enclosed, not be visible to the general public and emit no odor that could reach adjacent properties.

Also on Monday night, the council:

• approved developing a plan to help offset the costs to the organizers of the second annual Breitling Huntington Beach Air Show, set for Sept. 30 and Oct. 1, 2017. The vote was 5-0-2 with Councilman William O’Connell recusing himself and Councilman Patrick Brenden absent.
• supported a recommendation to create a committee to provide recommendations on management of the downtown business improvement district, and the appointment of an interim chief executive officer to oversee the BID. The council directed the committee to return in six months with findings. The vote was 5-0-2 with O’Connell recusing himself and Brenden absent.