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Medical Marijuana FAQs - Main

Regulations
Distance Measurements
Renewable Energy
Wastewater Requirements

Complaints

General Information

Q:  Is there a phone number I can call for questions?

A: The city cannot give legal advice. If you have filed an application, or if you have specific questions about an application you are preparing to submit, you can call 303.441.3091. Any other questions should be submitted on this website.

Q: What are the license fees?

A: Application and license fees for medical marijuana businesses (Section 4-20-64, "Medical Marijuana Businesses", B.R.C. 1981):

MMB 2012 Fee Schedule

NOTE: The application fee and costs paid are non-refundable. The license fee may be refunded if the license application is denied. Neither the application fee nor the license/renewal fee will be refunded in the instance of revocation.

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Regulation Inquiries

Q: What kinds of things does the law cover?

A:

The Law:

  • Creates a comprehensive licensing system for medical marijuana businesses
  • Contains requirements for
    • the qualifications to hold a license
    • operation of a business
  • Specifies what acts are prohibited by the city
  • Includes separation and saturation requirements from schools, licensed day cares, and other medical marijuana businesses.
  • Imposes civil and criminal penalties for violations of Chapter 6-14.

The Licensing Procedures Require:

  • A background check of all owners and managers of the business
    • Payment of licensing fees
  • Personal and financial information of the proposed licensees.

Operation of a Medical Marijuana Business Requires:

  • Tracking of the source of products, sales, patients, and other financial information.

Q: What if I think there should be changes to Chapter 6-14?

A: Any changes to Chapter 6-14 must be approved by the City Council.

  • Staff is preparing draft amendments for council's consideration in January, 2011.  Other amendments will be considered later in the year, as necessary.  Amendments are proposed from concerns raised by medical marijuana businesses and citizens, or changes to state law. You can submit suggestions for changes to Chapter 6-14 to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
  • The Rules referred to in another FAQ to be adopted by the city manager can only implement Chapter 6-14 as adopted, not make changes to it. Please refer to the FAQ regarding rules if you would like to provide suggestions for rules.

Q: Has the City Manager adopted any rules related to medical marijuana? (pursuant to Section 6-14-15, B.R.C. 1981)

A: No rules have been adopted by the city manager at this time.

  • Rule changes will be considered after staff has completed working on the forms and application process.
  • The city's process for adoption of rules (Chapter 1-4, "Rulemaking", B.R.C. 1981) requires a 30-day comment period so anyone can provide feedback on the proposed rules.
  • If you have suggestions for rules you may submit your suggestions to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
  • Rules cannot change any provisions of Chapter 6-14, only provide clarity.  If you have suggestions for change to Chapter 6-14, click here for more information.

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Distance Measurements

Q: How are distances measured for determining how far away from a school or other medical marijuana business is from my business?

A: The distances are measured on "official maps as the radius from the closest points on the perimeter of the applicant's property to the closest point of the property of the school or day care center." Section 6-14-7(e)(1), B.R.C. 1981.

  • The property lines on city maps are the boundaries of the property recorded in the records of Boulder County for ownership of parcels.
  • These boundaries are the lot as platted with the city, or if the property is not platted, the boundaries are the metes and bounds description that are contained in the deed.
  • If an owner leases less than the entire lot to one or more tenants, the records of the city do not include the boundaries of the leased property. As a result the property lines used for measurement are by ownership from recorded deeds, not descriptions used on leases.

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Renewable Energy

Q:  How do I verify compliance with Secetion 6-14-8(i), B.R.C. 1981 that I am directly offsetting electricity for my grow operation?

A: The compliance will be determined by an audit from the city.

The business owner will have to:

  1. Grant access rights to the city with the energy provider to verify the electricity usage of the business, and
  2. Maintain records of energy used and renewable energy sources or RECs that match the records of the providers of the electricity and offsets.

The offsets can be:

  • Purchases of RECs from Xcel for Windsource or another provider,
  • Installation of solar for the business or
  • Subscription to a solar garden project.

If the business has another renewable energy source, it may submit a request for approval of the alternative arrangement to the city.

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Wastewater Requirements

Q: What are the wastewater requirements and regulations?

A: Wastewater regulations apply to various uses differently depending on the types of products used, the types of waste dumped into the city system, and the level of pretreatment conducted or required.

  • You will need to obtain your own advice as to the specific level of regulation applicable to your particular operations.
  • All cultivation facilities and MIPs must complete a [insert same survey info as below with link]
  • At a minimum, you will need to comply with all local, state and federal laws regarding releasing waste into a storm drain, sanitary sewer, street, land or air.
  • For City of Boulder laws, at a minimum see Chapters 6-9 Air Quality, 11-1 Water Utility; 11-2 Wastewater Utility; 11-3 Industrial and Prohibited Discharge; 11-5 Storm Water Utility.
  • You will need a wastewater and pretreatment permit before discharging anything into the municipal water system.

Q:  I have an MMJ Cultivation facility in Boulder - am I required to obtain an "industrial discharge permit"?

A:  Medical marijuana facilities discharging wastewater to the sanitary sewer from medical marijuana grow operations or medical marijuana-infused production facilities must complete a Wastewater Classification Survey to better characterize the wastewater discharge.

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Complaints

Q: If I have a complaint about a medical marijuana business, where do I file it?

A: If the complaint is that a business is in violation of the Boulder law regarding medical marijuana businesses, you can file the complaint with the Environmental and Zoning Enforcement Office.

  • How do I contact EZEO?
    • Via email - This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
    • Phone - 303-441-3239
    • Mail - P.O. Box 791, c/o Environmental Enforcement and Zoning, Boulder, CO. 80306 - 0791
  • How do I file a complaint?
  • How do I find out the status of my complaint?

    If the complaint is about a violation of state law, you can contact the Colorado Department of Revenue, Medical Marijuana Enforcement Division.

    • Preliminary contact information is as follows. More information will be posted as soon as it is available.
    • Phone: 303-205-THC1 (8421)
    • Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

    If the complaint is about potential illegal drug activity, contact the Boulder Police Department by calling 303.441.3333 or filing an on-line report.

Last Updated on Tuesday, 10 July 2012 15:52