Loveland voters will likely decide Nov. 5 whether to allow a limited number of medical and recreational marijuana dispensaries in Loveland, according to a ballot question that passed the Loveland City Council on first reading Tuesday night.
That issue, as well as a measure that would require only a simple five-vote majority of the nine-member City Council to hire or fire a city manager or city attorney, rather than the two-thirds majority currently required, must be quickly approved on second and final reading. That approval must come either at a special meeting called for next Tuesday or at the council’s next regular meeting on Aug. 20, since ballot nominations must be submitted to the City Clerk’s office by Sept. 6.
The measure to confirm or remove the city manager or city attorney passed by a very easy 5-4 vote, with Councilmembers Steve Olson, Dana Foley, Andrea Samson and Patrick McFall opposing.
The council decided not to ask voters to impose term limits on Loveland’s mayor and city council members, but to leave the matter to a yet-to-be-formed city constitution commission. Acting city attorney Vince Junglas told council members that the formation of such a commission could take up to nine months and that an amended city constitution would then require voter approval.
The measure that would allow marijuana dispensaries to operate in the city, a proposal that was rejected three times by Loveland voters, would impose a 5% excise tax on sales at the stores, in addition to the city’s current 3% sales tax, with no set earmarks for where the revenue would go. The proposal was amended to give owners of dispensaries that existed before the ban 120 days, rather than 90 days, to apply for a new license before new license applications are accepted.
This proposal was adopted by a vote of 7 to 2, with Foley and McFall opposing.
In other City Council action, the city’s moratorium on oil and gas development within Loveland’s boundaries was extended for another six months. The council had imposed a six-month moratorium on such projects on Nov. 28 of last year to give city staff time to update city regulations. Staff requested an extension until Sept. 1 to complete that work. On Tuesday, council members supported the further extension to give proponents and opponents of oil and gas development in the city a better opportunity to make their case.
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