Under the measure, the city will license four production warehouses where marijuana would be grown, packaged and processed for medical use. The privately owned facilities would not be limited in size. However, the regulations will require applicants to possess a minimum of $3 million worth of insurance, hire security, and pay a $211,000 annual permit fee to the city.

Members of the city council said that they will vote this fall on similar regulations to oversee the licensing of smaller size grow operations.

Voters in neighboring Berkeley will decide on a similar municipal measure in November that seeks to license up to six area medical marijuana production facilities.

In a separate Oakland city council vote this week, members rejected a proposal to tax medical marijuana cultivators and dispensaries – instead electing to put the measure before voters this November.

For more information, please contact Dale Gieringer, California NORML Coordinator, at: (415) 563-5858.