Milpitas Bans Commercial Pot In Council Meeting

MILPITAS, CA -- When all was said and done, the city sent a loud and clear smoke signal to its constituency Tuesday night -- no business based on pot.

The City Council unanimously in a 4-0 vote determined that its temporary moratorium on the commercial activity would now be permanent. The moratorium put into affect in January 2017 was set to expire two years later, which falls a few months from now. The council directed staff to draw up regulations pertaining to the ban.

Much dialogue has occurred in the last two years since the state legalized adult use of cannabis through Proposition 64. The passage sent local jurisdictions such as cities and counties into overdrive in trying to determine how to proceed within its boundaries.

Milpitas scheduled two community meetings on the subject, along with conducting surveys last June. The surveys garnered 500 responses. In addition, hundreds of emails flooded the city.

Other Santa Clara County cities decided in the ballot box to tax the commercial activity this month. Measures allowing and taxing were passed in Mountain View and Morgan Hill.

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