Dozens of people crowded into City Council chambers Jan. 20 to speak in favor of letting Forty Acres continue operations. Photo: Emilie Raguso Even though more than 40 people testified about the importance of the Forty Acres Medical Marijuana Growers Collective to the black community, the Berkeley City Council voted 7-2 Tuesday night to declare […]
Toya Groves
Berkeley council to decide if cannabis collective must go
Chris Smith talked to a community group Saturday about why Forty Acres should not be shut down by the city. Photo: Frances Dinkelspiel Chris Smith talked to a community group Saturday about why Forty Acres should not be shut down by the city. Photo: Frances Dinkelspiel Almost four years after Berkeley first informed the Forty Acres Medical […]
Zoning Board says cannabis collective a public nuisance
The Zoning Adjustments Board ruled Nov. 6 that Forty Acres, at 1820-1828 San Pablo Ave., is a public nuisance. Photo: Google Street View Berkeley’s Zoning Adjustments Board voted unanimously Nov. 6 to declare the Forty Acres Medical Marijuana Growers’ Collective a public nuisance – the latest step in Berkeley’s three-year odyssey to shut the place down. […]
Berkeley dismisses official who made ‘insensitive’ racial comment during cannabis collective appeal
Berkeley officials contend that Forty Acres operated an illegal cannabis operation on the top floor of this building at 1820-1828 San Pablo Ave. Photo: Google Street View Berkeley officials contend that Forty Acres operated an illegal cannabis operation on the top floor of this building at 1820-1828 San Pablo Ave. Photo: Google Street View The city of […]
Court orders eviction of Forty Acres cannabis collective
A cannabis grow room in the Forty Acres Medical Marijuana Growers Collective in September 2011. Photo: Frances Dinkelspiel The landlord of the San Pablo Avenue building that houses Forty Acres Medical Marijuana Growers’ Collective won a court judgement last week to evict the cannabis business. An Alameda County jury voted 12-0 on Nov. 2 that […]
ZAB tells Berkeley cannabis collective to shut down
Code enforcement officer Greg Daniel and Deputy City Attorney Laura McKinney prepare to present report to Zoning Adjustments Board. Photo: Frances Dinkelspiel After listening to residents complain how a medical cannabis facility on Sacramento Street had drawn unsavory loiterers, trash, and trouble – as well as testimony that it was a good neighbor – the Zoning Adjustments […]
Berkeley orders 2 cannabis collectives to shut down
The Perfect Plants Patients Group on Sacramento Street in Berkeley has been ordered to move out The city of Berkeley has issued “cease and desist” orders to two medical cannabis collectives, leading one to shut its doors. The Forty Acres Medical Marijuana Growers Collective at 1820 San Pablo Avenue stopped operations in late January after Berkeley Code […]
Councilman: Look at unauthorized collectives
A sign warning against drug dealing near the location of a new medical cannabis collective. City Councilman Jesse Arreguín will ask the city manager tonight to investigate whether two medical cannabis collectives are operating in violation of Berkeley’s zoning laws. Arreguín’s announced his intent after a contentious meeting of the Medical Cannabis Commission on Thursday, […]
Commission ponders growth of unlicensed pot groups
The Medical Cannabis Commission at its September meeting. Photo: Frances Dinkelspiel Berkeley’s Medical Cannabis Commission agreed on Thursday to send a letter to the city manager expressing concern about the proliferation of cannabis collectives in areas that are not zoned for them. The commission noted that two collectives — Forty Acres and Perfect Patient’s Plant […]
Rapid growth of cannabis collective raises concern
Kareem Cokes at the Forty Acres lounge, where he helps patients select medical cannabis. Photos: Frances Dinkelspiel In the 21 months since it opened, the Forty Acres Medical Marijuana Growers Collective has seen its membership jump to more than 7,000 people, making it one of the fastest growing and largest cannabis businesses in Berkeley. From […]
Does new cannabis body provide more accountability?
A marijuana grow room After months of delay, Berkeley’s new Medical Cannabis Commission will meet for the first time on Thursday, ushering in, city officials hope, a new era of oversight and accountability. For the past 15 years the medical marijuana business has operated in a gray zone, legal in the city and the state […]