South Lake Tahoe is close to having just 1 pot shop
By Kathryn Reed
The clarity of where medical marijuana in South Lake Tahoe stands is like walking into a room of pot smokers. Something smells funny and the air is murky.
Accusations flew Tuesday during the City Council meeting, with it clear the electeds are fed up with what they consider is illegal activity occurring at some of the dispensaries.
Most of the anger was leveled at Patient2Patient, which had its permit revoked July 11. Unless the collective wins the Aug. 7 appeal before the council, the dispensary will have to close its doors that day or another date specified by the council.
Patient2Patient would have to close if the owners lose their Aug. 7 appeal before the South Lake Tahoe City Council. Photo/LTN
City Manager Nancy Kerry was looking for direction from the council to make sure the four who were there (Councilwoman Angela Swanson was absent for most of the meeting) wanted the medical marijuana ordinance enforced. To this, the four said “yes” without any reservation.
The ordinance was passed in September 2011.
At the July 3 meeting staff was directed to look into whether Patient2Patient and Tahoe Wellness Collective were in compliance with the ordinance. Both had already been sent a letter June 1 saying they had 10 days to comply or face permit revocation. Though they did nothing to come into compliance, then City Manager Tony O’Rourke allowed the two establishments to keep their doors open.
But Gino DiMatteo, who owns City of Angels 2, at the July 3 meeting told the council his colleagues at the other two collectives were still not in compliance and asked why when he had a valid permit and all the paperwork signed off he was being treated differently.
While DiMatteo never mentioned the 14th Amendment, that is in fact what he was invoking – that he be treated equally.
It was at the meeting earlier this month that the council reversed course and denied DiMatteo the ability to move. He has to move because his landlord wants him out this month because of threats from the U.S. Attorney General’s Office, not because of any infraction with the city.
At the July 17 meeting, DiMatteo refused to talk to Lake Tahoe News.
“We haven’t canceled escrow, but it’s on the market,” listing agent Claudette Miles of Coldwell Banker-McKinney told Lake Tahoe News in reference to the building DiMatteo was planning to purchase. She says DiMatteo still wants to buy the property and the sellers are interested in selling, but “it’s a complicated situation.”
Tahoe Wellness Collective came into compliance July 6.
City building inspector Dave Walker went to Patient2Patient July 9 and July 10 to check on construction of the firewall. No work had been performed.
The next day Kerry issues the notice revoking the collective’s permit. Later on July 11, Kerry and Walker are asked to look again. What they find on July 13 is the firewall work was done wrong by an unlicensed contractor.
On top of that, Patient2Patient was growing marijuana upstairs in an area not permitted for that activity. This is being done with grow lights and no firewall. If a fire were to occur, it could wipe out a swath of Lake Tahoe Boulevard.
Despite all of this, the collective is allowed to operate until the Aug. 7 appeal.
Nine people spoke at the July 17 meeting – all saying the collectives are necessary.
While the council supports medical marijuana, it does not like what is going on. In fact, Councilman Hal Cole said the collectives are potentially hurting their clients.
“You are putting people in this town in danger of losing their medicine. You are putting their health in jeopardy,” Cole said.
He was the most vocal and heated. But all four expressed frustration with the drug task force report that came out at the July 3 meeting regarding increased pot activity because of the collectives, the need for the post office to hire a specialist because of the reported drug activity, and then the police report involving Patient2Patient owner Matt Triglia that was made known Tuesday.
The report from December 2011 says Triglia was in Missouri in a rented RV that had specialized Nevada plates when he was pulled over for a traffic infraction. Subsequently the report says $85,000 in cash was seized. The officer wrote, “I observed several bundles of money in rubber bands that had been heat sealed in a plastic bag. The packaging method was very commonly associated with that of currency and narcotic smugglers.”
In some states, like Missouri, it’s not uncommon for goods to be seized and no charges to be filed, which happened in the Triglia case.
While Triglia confirmed the date of birth and Social Security number on the report were his, he told the council he was not in Missouri and this report was not about him. The report also describes his wife’s tattoos.
After the meeting he told Kerry and others who were listening that he would be calling his attorney.
It’s possible that in three weeks South Lake Tahoe will have only one medical marijuana collective.
Good
this truky is sad. I travel to Lake Tahoe
as much as I am able to when I am well enough.
And the last time, one of the two collective’s, saved me from having to go to the hospital.
Ill be sending up a big BOPE to you all up there, and sending up prayers that those people in poweer come to their senses. Is this an Oxy Moron statement or what? (While the council supports medical marijuana, it does not like what is going on. In fact, Councilman Hal Cole said the collectives are potentially hurting their clients)
There are so many that need this ,A lady, I wont mention names has MS ,She depends on it and the Dr she goes to says Ok ,Now you tell me what is wrong with pot that helps a lot of people with Drs orders ? Do we all need to stand outside that our sick to prove a point ?
If MJ is a legitimate medicine, why isn’t it just distributed through regular pharmacies when presented with a Dr. prescription? We don’t have separate distribution stores for antibiotics. Help me understand.
So, the police robbed the man of $85k.
“In some states, like Missouri, it’s not uncommon for goods to be seized and no charges to be filed, which happened in the Triglia case.”
Typical LEO BS.
Why isn’t MJ distributed through regular pharmacies? Because one of the main reasons it is illegal and has not been reclassified is that it is direct competition to our wonderful pharmaceutical industry.
Your comment also brings up the controversy on the over prescription of antibiotics, pushed by the wonderful pharmaceutical industry. The same industry that fought against psuedoephedrine regulation (successfully for a long time) even though there was overwhelming evidence that a significant portion of their product was being used to make methamphetamine. At least pharma isn’t bribing doctors to push pills….
*extreme sarcasm*
Meanwhile in Afghanistan, our troops guard POPPY FIELDS USED TO MAKE HEROIN, which is at record high levels of production since 9/11. All countries that border Afghanistan are experiencing extreme heroin problems.
But let’s fight that war on drugs, keeping marijuana illegal and closing down dispensaries.
What a pathetic joke.
Drugs won the Drug War.
Mostly because we actually helped drugs.
PS: Your life is incomplete without a significant psychedelic experience. Mushrooms haven’t killed anyone, ruined lives, or posed any real threat to society. But they sure make you question the legitimacy of the powers granted to certain people in our social construct.
What a cluster. Lawsuit a coming for sure. I wish we had a timeline on this from start to finish with hours worked and voting records. Where was the police report last year. What egg on Cole’s face if the MO report is in error and this guy is innocent. Maybe another personal lawsuit this time. And what was his point on attending Davis and being a rock drummer? Was that a hint that you are/were pot-saavy? Lay it out there Hal. Its a lot more potent nowadays. No matter, time for all incumbents to go . So listen up Tahoeites, vote them out. Tell your amigos. Adios Cole and Grego.
Seriously, people should actually research before commenting. The town supports medical marijuana, Hal Cole states that! It’s the fire danger! They are being closed down because of the are not in complaince with the fire code! Anyone who lost their homes or had friends lose their homes knows how devastating a fire can be, Angora anyone??? If any other local businesses didnt’ comply with a fire wall they would be shut down too!
I personally believe that MJ should just be legalized and taxed and that tax dollars should stop being wasted on ludicrous attempts at enforcement related to MJ. We’ve got the template to do such between the ABC and the tobacco industry and I just wonder how much longer conservatives will continue treating this in the same way that alcohol was treated prior to and during prohibition. If a person wants to ingest MJ for medical or recreational purposes let them purchase a safe product and pay the tax for doing so, just like what’s done with alcohol and tobacco. The fact is the government will never stop people from using MJ just like they can’t stop people from drinking alcohol or smoking cigarettes so the best that can be hoped for is to initiate regulations so the product will be safe, while simultaneously eliminating the need to spend scarce tax monies on enforcement and incarceration related to this.
That said, unfortunately this is currently not the case and the Federal U.S. Attorneys’ are applying extreme pressure to seize the property of owners renting to dispensaries. Local governments are stuck between the Feds and the state of California; the Feds trying to force the closure of dispensaries and the state of California saying the dispensaries are entitled to operate by California law. The real issue with the Patient 2 Patient Collective is that they’ve not complied with the City’s Ordinance and Building and Safety Codes related to cultivation thus they have placed the publics’ safety in jeopardy. Why Mr. Triglia and his wife neglected to ensure that every “t was crossed and i dotted” is beyond me since they’re operating a business that is under intense scrutiny. I also question the rationale of someone taking their young child to a meeting where they’re negotiating the potential existence of their business. I don’t think people should expose children to adult circumstances for which they are lacking emotional maturity and believe that stunt by Triglia and his wife was inexcusable and speaks to the character of those individuals.
Sunshine is right. They should be shut down if they can’t adher to the law. And the Head shop next door. Did the TRPA choose those colors on that fancy tree adorned to the building? I doubt it. It should be repainted as well. I’m surprised the city hasn’t enforced that color code law as well.
Thank you Sunshine, of the 10% that have cards and really need their MJ I think they need a place to get it. But it sure seems the owners of these shops think any laws do not apply to them because they are doing a wonderful service to our community. My business would be shut down in a heart beat if I was not in complaince. So please if you have a pot shop get legal, stay legal and quit all the my people need their medicine, become a legit business.
I’ve never quite understood why we would need 3 collectives anyway. We barely have 3 grocery stores in South Lake, and last I checked, EVERYONE needs to eat. Does everyone here need this “medicine” too? One dispensary should be plenty.
Now that we have some much pot going around, legal or not,
it seems that people think they can just smoke anywhere, and they do. At Commoms beach, during the concerts. On the streets when they are just walking. I am sure it is against the law to do that, but no one does anything about it. Drugs are drugs. No matter what it is for.
The oxy and heroin epidemic in this town is a disgrace. We are losing an entire generation and these people spend time and money on pot and puppy stores.
I hope Tony cuts a few more of them lose on his way out of town.
Thank you Sunriser. I agree
sunriser2 and Lisa:
FYI, Tony left town on June 30th so he’s not in a position to cut anyone in SLT loose anymore. And while an oxy and heroin epidemic in this town may be occurring and would certainly be a disgrace, that doesn’t mean other matters of importance to people such as their public safety due to fire caused from businesses in non-compliance with the Building and Safety Codes, or the attempt toward preventing cruelty to animals that’s created from puppy mills should be ignored.
People can care and focus on more than one cause.
Interesting set of confused positions – to ‘why so many’s comment about 3 grocery stores comparing to 3 marijuana dispensaries – leaving out the fact that there are also three ‘grow’ stores in a town of (now) only 20,000 belies the fact that there is probably an incredible amount of growing going on here. . .and with three dispensaries all ‘tasting’ the goods available, it then becomes apparent that there is probably more “goods” than can be absorbed by any local “clientele” that 3 dispensaries might have. . .then the financial opportunities become clearer – must sell elsewhere as well (preferably as ‘distributors’)
That the proprietors of these cannot even stay within the law in their own town while creating other markets is utterly amateurish, and they deserve to have the rug pulled out from under them – especially when it comes to fire danger – not to mention bringing heat upon them selves and their own “industry”)
So much for diversifying the economy. . .
4-Mer,
The epidemic is here and like a forest fire should be the main focus of all public service/protection agencies.
What’s going on now makes the old cocaine party days of the 1980’s seem like a tea party.
Amen Satori, you nailed it. If they cant even hire a licensed contractor to build a firewall to comply with the fire code then they should be shut down just like any other business. To have a cash cow like that and not be able to do a few simple repairs is just pathetic.
Kids, this is why you shouldn’t smoke dope. It will make you stupid!
My Mother had MS. I asked her if she wanted to take MJ for the pain and she said no. She decided to live with it. To her pot is just an illegal drug, but if a person does in fact feel better, than have at it.
sunriser2:
Like I said before, some people can care and focus on more than one cause at a time. I live in the Angora Fire burn area and when I evacuated my house that afternoon I needed to think about a whole host of responsibilities other than just the fire. I don’t know anyone who has the luxury of focusing on only one issue with the exception of a cancer patient receiving Chemo whose only focus is to stay alive. I’m sorry that the oxy and heroin situation has reached epidemic proportions but everything else can’t just be ignored and go by the wayside because of that one situation. As adults with responsibilities we don’t get to partake in those indulgences.
This article is unintelligible.
I wouldn’t mind our being down to 0 collectives. The stench in town is out of control….the stink from the collective in Bijou is all over Highway 50 and the neighboring businesses.
Get rid of the collectives, get rid of the people growing in their homes (thank goodness one in my neighborhood is moving out) and get rid of the smoking in public. Simple solutions…too bad the people that would benefit most from medical marijuana have had things ruined by those needing their “meds.”
Whoa there 30yrlocal! Not cool at all! If you want to call the authorities, go right ahead. BUT YOU HAVE NO BUSINESS MAKING THESE ACCUSATIONS ON THE NET!!!!
Thank you admin.
I thought pot was a Herb, a plant, its not grass, or am I wrong? I think this article is crazy ,Its a battling ending story ,
This is such a joke. They were all issued city permits, they’ve complied with all the laws regarding prop 215 and sb420, and the city decides to pull something like this. The state has made plenty of money off the taxes that come from medicinal marijuana. Its because dumbass kids come up here and then take it to sell other places. How is it the dispensary’s fault for what happens to their products after it’s off their premises? I know for a fact that it has helped me tremendously with my chronic pain to the point where I don’t need to take opiates to feel relief. I feel that medical marijuana is a better option for me to be able to function. When I have to take my opiates, all I end up doing is sleeping because it knocks me out. Where as when I medicate, I am still able to perform daily tasks while at the same time being pain free. Now I would never try to shut down an opiate manufacturing business because I don’t like their medicine’s effect, but I would very much appreciate it…IF PAIN PILL POPPING PRUDES STOPPED CARING WHAT WE DO, AS LONG AS WE DON’T BOTHER YOU!
The 215 law lost all credibility when they made it easy for anyone who wants a card to get one whether they really need it or not. This “medicine” can be useful for people that are really sick but it’s tarnished now.
I moved here about a year ago. I’m all for the medicinal movement. I came here from boulder where it is has a similar situation. I say similar in the sense of they also have stores but they are run completely different and much more successfully. You wonder why they all got shut down when you could walk in a any given day and buy as much as you wanted without limitation? Illegally growing on the premisis when all they needed to do was hire a proper electrician to meet code? Maybe the real problem is the “tahoe time” mentality that plagues this area. They should bring back proper discipline in the school systems. This entire generation needs to be checked. I’m ashamed to be part of it.