Superior Trying to Ban All Marijuana Businesses

On Monday, Superior became the first community in Colorado to begin putting in place a permanent ban on any and all marijuana businesses including retail shops, clubs or cultivation facilities.

The Superior Board of Trustees unanimously voted on a first reading in favor of an ordinance banning marijuana establishments. One Trustee was absent. The final vote is set for the Board’s next meeting in February.

They also approved on first reading a measure that will make it illegal for anyone to “publicly consume or grow” marijuana in Superior.

According to Town Attorney Kendra Carberry, “Amendment 64 allows you to grow at home — we can’t stop that. Amendment 64 allows you to smoke at home — we can’t stop that. All this does is address the business side of things.”

Colorado voters passed a law in November of 2012 allowing residents to grow up to six pot plants and to possess and use up to 1 ounce. It also allows for the establishment of municipalities regulated retail stores and manufacturing facilities.

Superior is going further than any other community in Colorado when it comes to regulating recreational pot. Most, including Broomfield, Longmont, Erie, Lyons and Lafayette, are pursuing or have imposed moratoria. But none have gone as far as banning marijuana.

Laurel Alterman, owner of AlterMeds, a medical marijuana dispensary in Louisville, said while she is happy she won’t have any competition from marijuana retail shops to the south. “I think it’s incredibly shortsighted of Superior and I wonder if they understand what their constituents want. What is so harmful?”

Currently, Louisville makes about $2,500 per month in sales tax from AlterMeds. That, she said, could double or even triple now that recreational marijuana is legal in Colorado.