El Centro votes to look into marijuana ordinance development

El Centro might be the next city to get behind commercial cannabis use. After much deliberation and public input, the mayor and city council members have finally voted on the issue Tuesday.

In a split 3-2 vote, the city council voted in favor of developing a city ordinance for commercial cannabis use.

Whether that ordinance is adopted is still to be determined.

“To begin developing the ordinance and to begin a process by which we have public workshops throughout the city, and we’re getting input to address things, like regulating deliveries, whether it’s medicinal, recreational, or medicinal only,” said Thomas Olivas, El Centro City Council.

Developing an ordinance will take at least 9 months.

Council members Jason Jackson and Cheryl Walker voted against developing an ordinance.

Both of them along with many of the residents expressed their concerns about opening the door to marijuana in the community.

“Jason Jackson brought up a very good point that there’s so much going on now illegally that you cannot regulate this. They think they can regulate this, I’m saying we should ban it. Kids are going to get this no matter what we do and I’m very concerned about that,” said Marty Ellet, El Centro resident.

“It’s a gateway drug if you allow it to be,” said Alex De La Cerda, El Centro resident.

Those in favor of the ordinance highlighted that local marijuana delivery services already deliver products to El Centro residents. They said this is the revenue the city is missing out on.

“They already have an ordinance developed in Calexico and another one in Imperial. So they should establish an ordinance in El Centro seeing that they are on opposite ends of the valley, as long as it’s set up equally and fair and not just for those who have pockets,” said De La Cerda.

El Centro’s marijuana ban expires on June 30, by then the city hopes to have a better look of what a marijuana commercial use ordinance might look like for the city.