Distance to School Irrelevant, Pot Co-op Says

A charge that a local medical marijuana shop is too close to a school is unfounded, an attorney stated.

Cooperative Patients’ Services, which runs in a store front at 28900 Old Town Front St., is far enough away from a nearby school to avoid violating the law, an attorney for the co-op argued in a court document filed Thursday.

, a private school at 29275 Santiago Rd., is within 600 feet of the co-op, an attorney for the City of Temecula stated.

This violates the state’s Health and Safety Code Section 11362.768, which bars dispensaries from operating within 600 feet of a school, according to a court record filed by the city.

To read about the city’s claim,

An attorney for the co-op not only denied the shop is a dispensary but also denied being that close to the school, according to a response to the city’s amended complaint filed Thursday.

To read the document, click on the photo gallery.

Local law enforcers consider the shop to be compliant with the law because Interstate 15 runs between the co-op and the school, according to the document.

“Local law enforcement does not consider responding party to be in violation of H&S Section 11362.768 due to the freeway existing between the buildings,” the document states.

Also, the co-op keeps no marijuana at the Old Town location, according to the document. “Responding party further contends that no medication is at the location on Front Street, and thus this issue is therefore moot.”

Though the co-op was banned from keeping marijuana on the premises earlier this year, a recent court ruling gave it permission. To read more about it,