CRESTVIEW — An ordinance banning medical marijuana will take effect Dec. 1. But even though dispensaries to pick up the prescription medication won't be allowed within city limits, North Okaloosa residents may have another option to secure local access.

According to Growth Management Director Teresa Gaillard, the city would have to regulate medical marijuana treatment centers the same as pharmacies.

A city map highlights commercial areas where pharmacies are allowed. Medical marijuana dispensaries have to be regulated the same as pharmacies; therefore everywhere a pharmacy is allowed, a medical marijuana dispensary would also be allowed.

Gaillard says the new ordinance bans the centers until the state allows for a number or location rule. Okaloosa County also has the option to vote for or against medical marijuana dispensaries in the county.

"The majority of the areas that are around our particular areas … in Okaloosa County are either residential or mixed use," Gaillard said.

If the county allows dispensaries into its mixed-use or business-use properties, it would be able to allow a medical marijuana treatment center within Crestview as long as it’s not within city limits and is in the unincorporated areas, according to City Attorney Ben Holley. 

However, such a facility would have to abide by a 500-foot buffer area for the schools.

"The only thing I have on it, and the only thing I’ve ever had on it, is I want something, either in state law or county ordinance or city ordinance, that says this is not your wholesale ability to legally buy buds of marijuana and walk down the street smoking it," Councilman Doug Faircloth said.

Faircloth said instead of calling it medical marijuana, the city needs to call it "the derivatives of marijuana that are medicinal," as he is in support of people with illnesses using cannabis oil.

Councilman Shannon Hayes said he supports the ban, because there are still too many unknown variables and the state hasn’t given the city direction. Hayes said Crestview "doesn’t want another Colorado on their hands."

A moratorium on medical marijuana dispensaries will end Dec. 1. The new ordinance will take effect that same day, banning medical marijuana facilities in Crestview until further notice. 

A number of residents question the City Council's statements and their intentions. 

"How dare these people deny the will of the people who voted for this," Kimberly Mathis said. "Our voice should be heard! This council member should have to go face the people that need this and tell them no their lives and quality of life is not worthy… they need to be voted out of office.

"Looking at Crestview , I know they don't know what's best for us. Is there a way for the people of Crestview to go over these people to the state level?"

"Meanwhile, half of Crestview is strung out on meth, pain pills and heroin," Daniel Foster said. "This is ridiculous, [the] system is ass backwards."

"Let's deny people something that could enhance their quality of life and instead keep building McDonalds on every corner," Leslie Brown said. "We can have multiple liquor stores and a sex toy shop, but not medical marijuana which is proven to help people.

"Not only that, but the people have spoken! We said yes in an overwhelming number."

According to Councilman J.B. Whitten, the council has researched the subject and attended topical workshops and a symposium with the Florida League of Cities.

Whitten said he had many concerns with the legislation, including the need for more police training to be able to better assess DUIs.

"First and foremost, this is not a permanent ban," Whitten said. "This is a ban with a built-in monitoring system to address at a later date, if needed. Monitoring is needed because although many think all the guidelines are in place in the state, right now there is a current bill in the House that would change this to say that smoking would be permitted — right now it’s not."

The bill Whitten references is one filed by Sen. Gary Farmer, D-Fort Lauderdale, on Nov. 2. Farmer filed a proposal that would undo a ban on patients smoking medical marijuana. The bill is filed for consideration during the 2018 legislative session, which starts in January.

However, House Majority Leader Ray Rodrigues, an Estero Republican, told the Associated Press the House won’t go along with allowing cannabis to be smoked.

THE ISSUE: An ordinance banning medical marijuana treatment facilities within city limits will take effect Dec. 1.

LOCAL IMPACT: Residents who have prescriptions for medical marijuana will have to look elsewhere for their medication. Crestview leaders won't allow the dispensaries until they receive more direction from the state legislature.

However, area residents could still have local access on one condition: If Okaloosa County does not decide to ban the facilities, a medical marijuana treatment center could open in unincorporated areas of Crestview and throughout the county.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Medical marijuana ban has one loophole

CRESTVIEW — Following the second reading of the ordinance amendment concerning recreational vehicles, the City Council held a public hearing.

According to Growth Management Director Teresa Gaillard, this new ordinance would affect 7,800 parcels of single-family homes and approximately 70 percent of the city. The ordinance would require that residents who own RVs park them on the side or back of their home and cover them with some type of screening.

The screening can be a 6-foot privacy fence, a faux fence, plants and shrubbery, or other forms of approved screening apparatus, according to Gaillard.

According to Councilman Doug Faircloth, the main reason for the ordinance amendment was to ensure residents aren’t hooking their RVs up to their homes, using the utilities and living out of them. With a 6-foot fence, he said, the city would not be able to tell if someone is living in their RV.

Another issue Faircloth had with the ordinance was the lack of specification of who approves the screening. According to Gaillard, the growth management department would approve the screening.

While the council discussed the amendment, Councilman Shannon Hayes said if the ordinance amendment is not approved, they will revert back to the previous ordinance which is more restrictive; RVs 24 feet in length or longer cannot be stored on property.

Councilman Joe Blocker questioned if the city is crossing the line by regulating private property. City Attorney Ben Holley said the city has a right to regulate what residents do on their private property.

According to Gaillard, the council did not provide firm feedback to staff when the ordinance was discussed at previous meetings, workshops and during a first reading. Councilman J.B. Whitten disagreed with her statement, and said they provided much feedback to city staff.

Residents approached the council to voice their opinions; among them was Andrew Rencich, who received a notice of code violation in early 2017.

"As I mentioned before… the ordinance… affects working and retired, middle-class families through the city of Crestview," Rencich said. "This ordinance is a gross government overreach on individual property rights. The way the ordinance is written leaves massive holes for possible litigation and is open to interpretation."

Rencich said the ordinance is discriminatory against RV owners, as other types of trailers are not mentioned. Resident Stephen Strom agreed.

"I don’t have a dog in this race, as I don’t have an RV," Strom said. "This is discriminatory. Flat out, no question about it… We can put any boat in our yard; I can put the Queen Mary on a trailer and park it in my yard… and it would be no problem."

Hayes made a motion to approve the ordinance and send it to the mayor and the city clerk to sign. Councilman Cox seconded the motion. According to Cox, the ordinance was well done; there was a length restriction before, and now there is not.

Whitten said the council promised the citizens they would continue on until the ordinance was fixed, and he feels it needs to be fine-tuned before passing. Most back yards aren’t equipped to take on an RV, and equipping them would be costly or impossible.

"I think we overdid it, and got carried away with what we wanted to do," Whitten said. "In case you can’t tell, I don’t support it."

The council voted on the previous motion to pass the ordinance, but it failed with only Cox and Hayes in favor. Hayes made a motion to hold a continuing workshop on the issue on Jan. 22, 2018, and all council members were in favor.

The moratorium was extended until the council can make a decision.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: RV ordinance doesn't pass second reading

CRESTVIEW — The Democratic Women's Club of Okaloosa County has selected its officers for the upcoming two-year term.

New officers are President Deborah Baker-Rian; First Vice-President Frost Jones; Second Vice-President Kathy White; Secretary Toni Pentecouteau; and Treasurer Beth Campbell.

The group meets the third Thursday of each month.

Visit www.okaloosademocrats.com or contact Deborah Baker-Rian, deborah.bakerrian@gmail.com, for information on scheduled events.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Democratic women's club selects officers

CRESTVIEW — Okaloosa County Commissioner Nathan Boyles says a project to construct a parking lot where the Piggly Wiggly store once sat at the corner of Beech Avenue and Wilson Street is right on track.

In early 2016, county commissioners approved acquisition of the parcel of land home to a vacant, dilapidated building after the grocery store’s closure.

The plan was to demolish the building and supply additional parking for the adjacent Brackin Building, which houses offices for the county Supervisor of Elections, Tax Collector and Property Appraiser offices, along with several others.

Those dreams became a reality and the building was demolished in early 2017. Since then, the county has worked to come up with a design of the projected parking lot. Boyles presented the design to the Community Redevelopment Agency to look over, since the lot will be within their district.

The conceptual plan includes 20 standard internal parking spots, nine standard 60 degree roadside parking spots, two handicap accessible parking spots required by the Americans with Disabilities Act, a 400-square-foot restroom facility, picnic tables, cornhole boards, table tennis, grassed stadium seating, a mural, a play structure, a rock wall and an events board.

During a previous meeting, CRA members asked Boyles if bathrooms could be added to the design. On Thursday, Boyles returned with a conceptual plan that did indeed include bathrooms; however, the cost of maintaining the bathrooms would fall on the CRA, according to Boyles.

Boyles said they would like to construct the bathrooms consistent with the other facilities in the district. CRA Commissioner Doug Faircloth suggested spending some extra money, but making the bathrooms vandal-proof with concrete vanities and steel toilets and sinks.

According to Boyles, funding is available and approved for the county’s budget for the current fiscal year; therefore, the design will be completed and construction should begin early 2018.

Whitten said part of the CRA’s Redevelopment Plan includes a section on beautification, greening and parking within the district, so this project coincides with that mission.

Boyles said the next step is to have employees of the public works departments from the city and the county meet to discuss logistics, as well as the legal staffs from each government creating a base interlocal agreement.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: City, county move forward with downtown parking lot project

CRESTVIEW — At the Monday workshop, the City Council was presented with a list of 5- to 10-year capital outlay projects to introduce to the county for possible funding by the local government infrastructure surtax.

According to City Clerk Betsy Roy, the 12 projects would cost a total of approximately $25 million; however, the city would only get between $1.3 and $1.5 million each year for five years with the possibility for an extension.

The projects presented are not set in stone, Roy said, and must be related to general fund infrastructure of public safety; the surtax cannot be used for utility projects.

Roy said the surtax would go into affect in January 2018 if passed by the county. The county will mail out a ballot with a referendum for residents to vote on. If the surtax passes, the city can then prioritize the list of projects; for now, the county will look over the list.

The projects are as follows, and the costs are estimates:

•    Enlarged turn radius at Industrial Drive and Highway 90: $32,000

•    Crestview Corners access road: $150,000

•    Redstone Avenue widening, Highway 85 to Brookmeade Drive and roundabout construction at Redstone and Brookmeade intersection: $899,000

•    Medcrest Drive to Duggan Avenue connector road: $1,936,000

•    Arena Road paving, phase 1: $2,083,000

•    Arena Road paving, phase 2: $1,433,000

•    Arena Road paving, phase 3: $3,529,000

•    Duggan Avenue extension to Arena Road: $2,055,000

•    Gun firing range for police department: $100,000

•    Rasberry Road extension (city/county project): $9,000,000

•    Sports complex (including land) (city/school board project): $4,000,000

•    Environmental center upgrades: $250,000

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Council OKs proposed surtax projects to send to county

CRESTVIEW — City officials participated in multiple activities during Florida City Government Week; among them was serving customers on Friday at Hub City Smokehouse.

Councilmen J.B. Whitten, Doug Faircloth and Shannon Hayes joined Mayor David Cadle and City Clerk Betsy Roy at the restaurant from 5:30-7 p.m. and assisted Mike Carroll, the owner of Hub City Smokehouse, and his waitstaff as they served food to guests.

The aim of the week's activities was to provide and foster civic education, collaboration, volunteerism and celebrate, showcase and engage citizens in the work of municipal government.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Pleasure to serve you

CRESTVIEW — City Hall gave residents an inside look at the offices of elected officials, department heads and the mayor during an open house event Monday night.

Residents could visit the council chambers and the offices of council members and Mayor David Cadle to meet with the people who make the city run and learn about what each of their jobs entail.

This event kicked off a week of events for Florida City Government Week, organized by the Florida League of Cities.

"Through Florida City Government Week, the League hopes to bring awareness to city government’s role in enhancing the quality of life in communities," according to the FLC website.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: City staff, officials present open house

CRESTVIEW — The city is hosting an open house and several other activities for City Government Week, Oct. 23-27.

Observances begin after a council workshop, which starts 5:30 p.m. Oct. 23 at city hall, 198 Wilson St. N. The workshop will precede the open house, which ends at 9 p.m.

A coffee session with elected officials is 8:30 a.m. Oct. 24 at Casbah Coffee Company, 196 Pine Ave. W, Crestview.

Next is a kids' smokehouse demonstration by the Crestview Fire Department. It is set 9-11 a.m. Oct. 25 at the CFD station, 321 Woodruff Ave. W.

A town hall meeting with council member JB Whitten is 6 p.m. Oct. 26 at Samuel's Roadhouse, 114 John King Road, and elected officials will serve customers 5:30-7 p.m. Oct. 27 at Hub City Smokehouse, 168 Main St. S, both in Crestview.

Meals will not be provided at the town hall. Discussion topics may include: the possibility of opening a local medical marijuana dispensary; backyard parking for RV owners; which new companies are coming to the area; traffic congestion; and the need for building permits.

Area residents unable to attend may email their topic ideas to jbwhitten@cityofcrestview.org.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Town hall, kids' smokehouse demo among Government Week events

CRESTVIEW — The Florida League of Cities has named Oct. 23-29 Florida City Government Week, and Crestview is participating in multiple events that will educate residents on the workings of local government.

According to the FLC website, Florida City Government Week is part of an ongoing effort to raise public awareness about the services that cities perform and to educate the public on how city government works.

“Cities provide a higher level of service than most governments, and generally receive higher approval ratings than other levels of government,” the website said. “Yet, many residents are unaware of how city services impact their lives.”

Cities are encouraged to organize events for the public, showcasing the city’s facilities, services, employees and elected officials.

Council President J.B. Whitten said he has a week of activities planned. Here is the schedule:

Monday, Oct. 23: Citizens can meet elected officials and department heads at a City Hall open house at 8 p.m. following the City Council Workshop.

Tuesday, Oct. 24: Elected officials will meet in the morning to have coffee at Casbah Coffee Company, and they invite Crestview residents to come and speak with them.

Wednesday, Oct. 25: The Crestview Fire Department will have a demonstration at the fire station of their new inflatable fire safety smoke house.

Thursday, Oct. 26: Whitten will hold a town hall meeting at Samuel’s Roadhouse, and encourages all council members to organize their own.

Friday, Oct. 27: All council members will serve meals at Hub City Smokehouse.

These activities are still in the planning process, and more information will be made available to the public prior to the events.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: City officials, staff to participate in Florida City Government Week

CRESTVIEW — The City Council adopted an ordinance, on first read, prohibiting operation of medical marijuana dispensaries within the city.

At the Monday meeting, Ordinance 1629 was brought before the council to decide whether to amend Chapter 18 Article III, Cannabis Related Activities. The decision was unanimous to adopt the ordinance amendment.

Before the vote, Joshua Littrell with Veterans for Cannabis approached the council, begging them to allow local veterans access to medical marijuana.

Jessica Wirth, a student at Florida A&M College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, presented the council with information regarding medical cannabis.

According to her presentation, medical marijuana would only be given to those with debilitating illnesses, not allowing just anyone to receive a prescription. Further, medical marijuana would be regulated similarly to alcohol when it comes to DUI convictions.

Wirth compared the risks and benefits of medical marijuana to those of nicotine and soda, showing there were very few health risks from cannabis. She also highlighted the positive economic impact medical marijuana has had on states such as Colorado where it is legal, as well as the decreased crime rates.

After Wirth’s presentation, Councilman Doug Faircloth said he still had concerns about marijuana eventually becoming legal for recreational use. Faircloth said he is in favor of cannabis oil, but not other forms.

Growth Management Director Teresa Gaillard said the council had two options: to do nothing, not banning medical marijuana dispensaries and not being able to regulate them; or they could ban them altogether.

Councilman Shannon Hayes said the state has not done a good job of providing information after legalizing medical marijuana, therefore, he doesn’t know enough about it to be in favor of allowing dispensaries.

Hayes said he doesn’t want to say Crestview should never allow dispensaries, but they should ban them now until they know more. Gaillard said the city will continue to monitor regulations within the state and update the council with any new information.

Councilman Joe Blocker made the motion to adopt the ordinance prohibiting medical marijuana dispensaries within Crestview, and Faircloth seconded the motion.

The motion passed with all in favor, and the ordinance will be discussed in an upcoming workshop and the council will hold a second reading in November.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Council mulls prohibiting medical marijuana dispensaries