By Valerie Gutierrez

Eastvale – Marijuana cultivation, dispensaries and delivery will be prohibited in the City of Eastvale under a new ordinance.

After hearing from patients and marijuana advocates, the Eastvale City Council voted 5-0 on Jan. 20 to approve the first ordinance banning cultivation, dispensaries, distribution and delivery of the drug within the city.

The banning of marijuana comes after Gov. Jerry Brown signed the state’s Medical Marijuana Regulation Safety Act into law last year.  The act was adopted to regulate the medical marijuana industry, which offered cities the power to ban drug-related activities.

“Until the federal law is more explicit on how they will deal with the state, it’s better for us to be on the right side of the federal law,” said Planning Commissioner Daryl Charlson.

Discussions emerged immediately upon banning delivery to medical marijuana patients, who will soon have to travel outside of the city to receive their marijuana prescription.

“One issue I do have with the ordinance of not allowing deliveries within the city is the prevention of marijuana delivery to a patient that might need this, it’s more of a hinderance to that person and the relief that they need” said Mark Burke, a Eastvale resident.

Like many other cities, Eastvale was rushing to take action on the issue of medical marijuana cultivation before March 1, which marks the deadline to accept an ordinance concerning the matter; otherwise the cities would have to operate under the state guidelines.

Despite the dispute, the commission was in agreement that they will not accept dispensaries or cultivation of marijuana in the city, said Commissioner Charlson.