Portola Valley: Marijuana sales in town worry residents

to Peter Draeger: Ask the people in Aspen Colorado, or even San Jose in our own backyard, how they feel about all those "seedy characters" doing "cannabis tourism" in their towns. Somehow those residents have managed to survive the "dangers" of a local marijuana dispensary.

Pot stores are incredibly well-run, highly regulated, and strictly controlled.

Let go of your fears...

I personally feel this is a great opportunity for PV. The extra money brought into the area, the jobs etc are most welcome.

same arguments can be used for alcohol sales. Talk about seedy characters.

I went to MA a long time ago-- guess who I bought weed from?? People from Portola Valley.

A pot dispensary in PV? What a truly illogical knuckleheaded consideration. Get real. Let's deal with the current group of criminals that ALREADY 'visit' our Town.

When someone applies to open a dispensary in Portola Valley, is the time for everyone to weigh in/comment/fret and freak out. Till then, trust that the Council and Planning Department have more than enough hurdles and fees in place to prevent it ever happening.
Sorry to burst some bubbles, but if your student (7th Grade and up, and maybe younger) needs any 'supplies', they already know exactly where to get them. Do PV parents/inhabitants really think that local students would want to procure cannabis where there is even a possibility they could be seen by neighbors, friends of parents, teachers et al? They have secret text codes when looking for any type of drug. Have you checked through your kid's text messages lately? Plus they need ID as 21 and up to even go in.
As a parent who went to drug awareness talks, you have more to concern yourselves with in your own medicine cabinet, drinks cupboard, the Axe deodorant you buy them, Dust-Off spray you have for your computer, and other products you already have at home. Time for more drug awareness/substance abuse talks at local schools? You'll be amazed at how many ways 'kid's' mask what they're using/taking. Do you watch your kid taking their prescribed meds every day? Or are they selling them to someone who needs to finish an assignment and stay up all night? Or needs an extra buzz to do their SAT/ACT?
Check your privilege and your reality PV. You have more than hypotheticals to concern yourselves with.

My NIMBY "Not In My Backyard " was deleted. Was that Censorship ? Be real that's what this article is, NIMBY, but it was approved.

Jane H. " I personally feel this is a great opportunity for PV. The extra money brought into the area, the jobs etc are most welcome". What will we do for money? Our kids will have sex, hopefully when mature enough. Do we want Adult Sex stores in PV ?

"Our kids will have sex, hopefully when mature enough. Do we want Adult Sex stores in PV ?"

Do you REALLY think your kids will be sold goods from an "adult sex store"? REALLY? Climb down off your histrionic horse. A pot store in your town isn't the end of the world. How about you have a conversation about these things (or more than one)? Parental involvement has far more to do with kids likelihood to use drugs. I know it's a novel concept, but give it a try. And stop being a helicopter parent.

Thank you Menlo Voter. Yes, I have had these conversations with my kids. But I also am aware of the results of Permissiveness. But I guess more drugs, prescribed ones can offset the results. For a little while. Ask the professionals at Lucile Packard.

I was just trying to show both sides of the coin. NIMBY and the extreme, an Adult Store. There's money to be made! Who are you to judge? I'm far from a Helicopter Parent. I just want to share different perspectives. I have more street sense and experience than you ever got with your MBA. Spark your buds up at Roberts Market parking lot, they have great munchies. All good, have a laugh and smile.

I suggest that everyone just take a deep breath ... now hold it ... let it out slowly ... don't you feel better already? ;>)

Side question - are people so fearful that they can't bring themselves to use their real names here? I generally don't pay much attention to a comment made by someone who wants to hide their identity.

Despite the fear-inducing headline, there have been no actual (legal) sales of weed in PV (maybe it should have read "Potential marijuana sales ..."). The Town has very robust zoning codes, and the various Council and Commission members can see this one coming from a long way off. Relax already.

Dave " The Town has very robust zoning codes, and the various Council and Commission members can see this one coming from a long way off."

Hence: NIMBY "Not In My Backyard" But it was approved by the voters !

mp:

I'll put my "street sense" against yours any day. I don't have an MBA, just 10 years in law enforcement. I probably saw more stuff in those ten years then you've seen in your lifetime.

Portola Valley is: private, quiet, safe, a small town/community, and a hidden gem.


The corner of Alpine Road and Portola Road provides Portola Valley residents with basic needs: grocery store, hardware store, hair salon, gas station, a deli.

Students from Corte Madera and Woodside Priory schools retreat to this corner after school.

A weed dispensary in Portola Valley is not a good fit.


A weed dispensary would immediately:

1. Attract more people into Portola Valley
2. Increase traffic
3. Make Portola Valley more "well-known" and less private, quiet, safe
4. Expose young students on a daily basis: Corte Madera School grades 4-8; Woodside Priory School grades 6-12.


Sure - there are dispensaries that are "well-run", "strictly controlled", etc.

Point being - there are few dispensaries in the area to begin with. Portola Valley would find that people would go out of their way to buy marijuana here.


To compare San Jose, the 10th largest city in the U.S. and the 3rd largest city in California, to Portola Valley simply does not make sense.

There should be respect shown for people that choose to and pay a high price to live in Portola Valley for the peaceful, safe town that it is - additionally raising and/or sending their children to school here.


To compare weed to alcohol sales is not an argument. One would not go out of their way to buy alcohol in Portola Valley. There are plenty of grocery and liquor stores on the Peninsula.


A weed dispensary is not a good fit for Portola Valley.