Angels Camp Closing In On New Medical Cannabis Measure
Angels Camp, CA – Already leaning towards prohibiting medical marijuana cultivation within city limits, the Angels Camp City Council will hold a second reading of its draft ordinance Tuesday.
As previously reported here, at its March 15 meeting, following a public hearing on the topic, the council reintroduced a previously drafted ordinance that would prohibit medical pot grows as well as keep the city out of the business of approving or granting any localized permits, licenses or other entitlements for growing. Vice Mayor Amanda Folendorf was the only councilmember who voted in opposition. If passed at the second reading, the ordinance or a summary of it, and the final vote, will be locally published within 15 days and the law would go into effect in 30 days.
Tuesday’s meeting will again be held at the Bret Harte High School Theater, in anticipation of a large turnout. Following closed session negotiations over the US Postal Service lease of the downtown Angels Camp post office facility, the meeting will open to the public at 6. However, as the public hearing over the draft ordinance is listed as the final item on the regular agenda, audience members should anticipate a wait.
In other business, city staff will be recommending that the council award a contract for planned upgrades at Utica and Tryon parks to John Allen Construction. The lowest bidder and its base bid of $98,697 will cover bathroom repairs; improvements, including ADA access plus pedestrian walkways at Utica Park; as well as demolition of the old Tryon Park pool and a re-grade of the location. The work scope excludes originally proposed irrigation and landscaping at Tryon Park as well as planned improvements to the firehouse meeting space. Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) monies have already been earmarked for the project.
Also on the agenda, Angels Camp Commemorative Committee (ACCC) and Business Association (ACBA) are requesting approval to celebrate the city’s establishment and incorporation in 1848 and 1912 with an annual “Mark Twain Festival” on the third Saturday in October. The event will replace what was formerly known as Gold Rush Day. The groups are also asking the council’s approval to close Highway 49 on Saturday, Oct. 15 between Vallecito Road and Bret Harte Drive for the festival from 8 a.m. until 6 p.m.
Additionally, ACCC is requesting a supplemental appropriation of $6,458 from the city to hold its 2016 Fourth of July Picnic in the Park. According to the meeting documents, Anne Forrest, the event chair, explains the committee decided to hold the picnic Friday, July 1 since the Fourth falls on a Monday — and to avoid conflicts with the annual fireworks event on Saturday at Ironstone Vineyards. She notes that for the past two years, the Picnic in the Park has been held in conjunction with the Farmers Market, which not only adds to both events, it also reduces the cost of hosting the picnic. Plans this year include adding two shuttle buses with wheelchair capacities at the cost of $400 that will run between St. Patrick’s Church parking lot and Utica Park.
