Any medical marijuana cooperative or collective in the city shall immediately conform to and operate in strict compliance with the following standards to ensure that the operations of the cooperative or collective are in compliance with this chapter, guidelines, state law and to mitigate the secondary negative effects and adverse impacts associated with operations of facilities dispensing medical marijuana:
(a) Medical marijuana cooperative or collective shall comply with and operate in compliance with Health and Safety Code §§ 11362.5, 11362.7 - 11362.83 and in conformance with the guidelines. Additionally, medical marijuana cooperative or collective shall comply with all other applicable property development and design standards of the zoning code, as well the applicable provisions of the code.
(b) Medical marijuana cooperative or collective shall provide adequate security and lighting on-site to ensure the safety of persons and protect the premises from theft at all times. In addition, medical marijuana cooperative and collective shall prepare and implement a safety and security plan, as reviewed and approved by the Los Angeles County sheriffs department, which shall include at minimum all of the following:
(1) Security cameras shall be instal led and used twenty-four hours per day, seven days a week, with at least one hundred twenty concurrent hours of digitally recorded documentation in a format approved by the Los Angeles County sheriff's department. The cameras shall be maintained in good an working conditions at all times. The areas to be covered by the security cameras include, but are not limited to, the dispensing areas, storage areas, all doors and windows to the medical marijuana cooperative or collective, all parking areas, and any other areas as determined by the Los Angeles County sheriff's department.
(2) The premises of a medical marijuana cooperative or collective shall be equipped with an alarm system that is operated and monitored by an alarm company properly licensed by the California Department of Consumer Affairs Bureau of Security and Investigative Services in accordance with California Business and Professions Code § 7590 et seq. and whose agents are also properly licensed and registered under the provisions of said sections of the Business and Professions Code.
(3) All security guards employed by medical marijuana cooperative or collective shall be licensed and possess a valid California Department of Consumer Affairs security guard card at all times.
(4) The security guard and medical marijuana cooperative or collective shall monitor the site and the immediate vicinity of the site to assure that member(s) immediately leave the site and not consume medical marijuana in the vicinity or on the property or in the parking lot of the cooperative or collective.
(5) Any other measures which the Los Angeles County sheriff's department determines necessary to ensure that a medical marijuana cooperative or collective is operating in a secure and safe manner.
(c) No recommendations for use of medical marijuana shall be issued on-site.
(d) There shall be no on-site sales of alcohol or tobacco, and no consumption of alcohol, tobacco or marijuana by any member on-site, the premises, common area(s), parking lot or sidewalks surrounding the property.
(e) Hours of operation shall be limited to: 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Monday through Saturday; and 12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Sunday.
(f) Medical marijuana cooperative or collective shall only provide, distribute, dispense, give or transmit medical marijuana to a member, as defined in this chapter. This shall include possession of a valid physician's recommendation, not more than one-year old, for medical marijuana use by the member. Medical marijuana cooperative or collective shall not distribute medical marijuana to a person who is not a member.
(i) Medical marijuana cooperative or collective shall notify members of the following in writing and through posting of a sign in a conspicuous location:
(1) Use of medical marijuana shall be limited to the qualified patient or person with identification card identified on the physician's recommendation. Secondary sale, barter or distribution of medical marijuana is a crime and can lead to arrest.
(2) Members of medical marijuana cooperative or collective must immediately leave the site and not consume or use medical marijuana until at home or in an equivalent private location. Medical marijuana cooperative or collective staff, employees, volunteers or members shall monitor the site and vicinity to ensure compliance with Health and Safety Code §§ 11362.5, 11362.7 - 11362.83, the guidelines and requirements of this chapter.
(3) Forgery of medical documents is a felony crime.
(g) Medical marijuana cooperative or collective shall track when member's medical marijuana recommendation and/or identification card expires and enforce conditions of membership by excluding any member whose identification card or physician recommendation is invalid or has expired, or who is caught diverting marijuana for non-medical use.
(h) Medical marijuana cooperative or collective shall not provide marijuana to any Member in an amount not consistent with personal medical use, as recommended by the recommending physician.
(i) Medical marijuana cooperative or collective may only cultivate, dispense, transmit, store or transport marijuana in aggregate amounts tied to its membership numbers, not to exceed eight ounces of dried marijuana, six mature and twelve immature plants per member, as provided by Health and Safety Code § 11362.77, unless a higher amount is recommended by a physician for an individual member, as evidenced by supporting records, in which case the amount for that member shall not exceed the amount recommended by that member's physician.
(j) Medical marijuana cooperative or collective shall keep accurate records, follow accepted cash handling practices and maintain a general ledger of cash transactions. Medical marijuana cooperative or collective shall maintain membership records on-site or have them reasonably available.
(k) Medical marijuana cooperative or collective shall also keep accurate records as to which member or members cultivate, provide and/or supply medical marijuana to medical marijuana cooperative or collective. Medical marijuana cooperative or collective shall not acquire marijuana from any person who is not a member of the cooperative or collective.
(l) Any qualified patient or person with an identification card under eighteen years of age shall be accompanied by a parent or a legal guardian. In addition, no one under eighteen years of age shall be a member of a medical marijuana cooperative or collective without written, verified authorization by a parent or a legal guardian.
(m) Medical marijuana cooperative or collective shall provide law enforcement and all neighbors within one hundred feet of the cooperative or collective with the name and phone number of an on-site community relations staff person, volunteer, employee or member to notify if there are operational problems with the establishment.
(n) The operator(s) of medical marijuana cooperative or collective must attend coordination meetings with the Los Angeles County sheriff's department, as recommended by the department.
(o) City of La Puente community preservation officers, code enforcement officers, Los Angeles County sheriff's department or other agents or employees of the city requesting admission for the purpose of determining compliance with these standards shall be given unrestricted access.
(p) The operator(s) of medical marijuana cooperative or collective shall maintain the premises, location, property and/or structures free of litter, debris, junk and other similar cast-off materials and free of graffiti. Any graffiti must be removed and/or repainted within seventy-two hours from discovery of or verbal or written notice of the graffiti vandalism from the city.
(q) There shall be no loitering on the premises, surroundings or parking lot of the medical marijuana cooperative or collective.
(r) Medical marijuana cooperative or collective must bar all windows and ensure that all marijuana is securely stored, subject to the approval of the fire department.
(s) Medical marijuana shall not be grown, stored or cultivated outside. Only indoor growing, storage and cultivation is permitted.
(t) Only the owner, operator or the security guard(s) of a medical marijuana cooperative or collective shall be permitted to carry weapons.
(u) In the event the medical marijuana cooperative or collective engages in the cooking, preparation, or manufacturing of marijuana enhanced or edible or drinkable products, including but not limited to drinks, infused water, cookies, candy or brownies, the cooperative or collective shall comply with all applicable state and city regulations pertaining to the preparation, distribution, handling and sale of food.
(v) Medical marijuana cooperative or collective shall cooperate with the city in any investigation of allegation(s) that the cooperative or collective is operating in violation of applicable provisions of this chapter.
(Ord. 10-902 § 4, 2010; Ord. 10-901 § 4, 2010; Ord. 09-983 § 2, 2010)