Serving Larchmont Village, Hancock Park, and the Greater Wilshire neighborhoods of Los Angeles since 2011.

Pot Collective Near St Brendan School Faces Criminal Charges

West-Third-Collective

The City Attorney has filed criminal charges against the West Third Collective and the property owner at 4363 West Third Street located just west of Western Ave.  The court date is set for November 21st, a spokesperson for the City Attorney’s Office told the Larchmont Buzz.

The West Third Collective is just steps around the corner from St. Brendan School at 238 S. Manhattan Place.  Charles Kim Elementary School at 225 S. Oxford Ave. is also within the 1000-foot radius of the pot shop, making it illegal under Prop D terms.

St Brendan School and its affiliated church have been putting pressure on the City to close the facility, which occupies a small storefront just adjacent to the post office parking lot, next to St Brendan School. Administrators from Charles Kim Elementary have also been protesting the Collective’s operation and submitted a petition signed by parents and staff asking the shop to be closed down.

“We’re very happy with the responsiveness of the City Attorney’s Office,” St. Brendan’s Monsignor Terrance Fleming told the Larchmont Buzz. “As soon as the new City Attorney came into office July 1st the office has responded appropriately and with as much speed as they could, given the way government and the courts move forward.”

West-Third-Collective2The West Third Collective is not on the list of Proposition D Existing Medical Marijuana Businesses which provides protection from prosecution for dispensaries that have complied with the filing requirements in a timely manner. The list includes approximately 135 businesses across Los Angeles. Another local pot shop, the Canto Diem Dispensing Collective, is on the Prop D list and is hoping to open its doors at 215 N Larchmont Blvd in a space leased above the Hamburger Hamlet and next to one of the city’s parking lots.

The City Attorney’s office told the Buzz they would “get back to us” on an update about Canto Diem’s move to Larchmont.  Many Larchmont store owners and area residents oppose Canto Diem moving onto the family friendly street where children meet after school and youth events are held in local storefronts.  An attorney has been hired by community members and business owners who oppose Canto Diem coming to Larchmont.

According to the City Attorney’s office, any violation of Proposition D is considered a misdemeanor, punishable by a fine of $1000 and six months imprisonment in county jail, per day, and also a nuisance for which injunctive relief and civil penalties of $2500 per day may be imposed. The guidelines for enforcement of the Prop D violations are so vague however, that the City is still trying to figure out how enforcement will work.

 

Larchmont Buzz: Medical Marijuana Dispensary on Larchmont Draws Crowd

Larchmont Buzz: Pot Shop in the Heart of Larchmont Village?

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Julie Grist
Julie Grist
Julie co-founded the Larchmont Buzz with fellow buzzer Mary Hawley in 2011 and served as Editor, Publisher and writer for the hive for many years until the sale of the Buzz in August 2015. She is still circling the hive as an occasional writer.

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2 COMMENTS

  1. We all have choices. The owner of the building at 215 North Larchmont made a choice to rent to a pot seller. We in the community can make a choice too. Please “name and shame” the landlord so that we can make a decision to stay away from his/her other business interests. This is the same kind of selfish landlord behavior which has seen properties rented out to tenants who do not have the required “Q” condition rights (Bungalow) or zoning rights (spinning gym). All of this has impacts on our quality of life.

  2. Jimbo, just curious how the existence of the spinning gym has affected your quality of life.

    Would you rather a bordered up empty unused building? Or one like the building next door to the Wells Fargo parking lot?

    I’m sure the patrons of the spinning gym that come into the Village to attend classes spend money at other shops on the Boulevard.

    All is good.

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