Boulder City Council approves medical marijuana rules

With little fanfare, the Boulder City Council on Tuesday night gave final approval to sweeping regulations that will govern the medical marijuana industry.

The council's unanimous vote means the estimated 100 or so dispensaries in Boulder will have until Oct. 31 to apply for an operating license. Growing operations that were operating illegally -- generally without a proper sales-tax license -- will have until Aug. 31 to get their applications in.

An application will cost up to $5,000. A license will require owners of marijuana businesses to submit a business plan, follow a comprehensive security plan and maintain detailed patient records for the city to inspect.

The rules also restrict marijuana businesses to spaces no larger than 3,000 square feet, and ban any new dispensary or marijuana greenhouse from opening within 500 feet of a school or licensed day-care center. There also are density restrictions that prevent three or more dispensaries from operating within a 500-foot radius.

Growing operations will have to offset 100 percent of their electricity use with wind or solar power. Patients younger than 18 will have to be accompanied by a parent or guardian when they enter dispensaries.

City officials are still figuring out how Boulder's rules will interact with state rules that Gov. Bill Ritter is expected to sign