At last minute, council puts off vote on limiting number of pot shops in Boston

The City Council almost voted today on a zoning change that would prohibit both medical marijuana dispensaries and potential recreational pot shops from being closer than a mile to each other.

But at-large Councilor Michael Flaherty, who has been raising the specter of neighborhood shopping streets turned into pot-based Combat Zones should voters approve recreational marijuana use, agreed to withdraw his request for a vote after it became clear that several councilors didn't want to be rushed into a vote like that. Instead, a council committee chaired by Bill Linehan (South Boston, South End, Chinatown) will schedule a hearing for next week on the proposal.

The issue was not even on the council's agenda today; Flaherty called for a vote at the end of the meeting.

Linehan and Councilor Mark Ciommo (Allston/Brighton) joined Flaherty in backing the use of compasses in determining where dispensaries and pot shops could go. But then another old-guard councilor, Sal LaMattina (North End, East Boston, Charlestown), said he could not in good conscience vote on a limit on pot shops until after voters have their say, possibly this fall.

"We need more information, what's going on in Colorado, I have no idea," LaMattina said, adding he'd want to visit Colorado, or at least talk to municipal officials there, and even then, would want to hear from voters in a referendum.

Ciommo said he's concerned that, already, two medical-marijuana dispensaries are being proposed for Harvard Avenue. Ciommo said geo-limiting dispensaries would improve patient access to marijuana because state regulations limit counties to a total of just five dispensaries and having 40% of them on just one Allston street would do no good for people in other parts of the county.

Ciommo said he supports medical marijuana and that he'd much rather see it sold at local drugstores, but noted that would violate federal law. Boston does not currently have any medical dispensaries, although the Zoning Board last August approved one for 21 Milk St. downtown.

Councilor Josh Zakim (Fenway, Beacon Hill, Mission Hill, Back Bay), said he was worried that the proposal would continue the stigma endured by people who need marijuana for their medical conditions - and that he doesn't want to do anything that would make it harder for them to gain access.

Councilor Tito Jackson (Roxbury) said he would also be concerned about potential revenue ramifications if the measure before voters would let Boston tax pot shops. "Are we limiting the potential revenue that could occur?" he asked.