Jeanne Larsson is worried that the city government may not give her East Sacramento medical marijuana dispensary a permit to operate.

The Sacramento City Council agreed last week that it would not place a cap on the number of medical marijuana shops in the city. But it also supported proposed rules that could possibly lower the number of dispensaries.

Currently, there are 39 medical marijuana shops in Sacramento, including Larsson’s.

So, does this mean the city will allow the 39 facilities?

Judging by comments from city staffers and operators of medical marijuana shops, the answer to that question is yes and no.

Since the City Council has said it doesn’t want to cap the number of facilities, Larsson’s dispensary, A Therapeutic Alternative, is not likely to be kicked out because her shop is one of 39. However, she said she thinks her dispensary may not pass muster with the city’s planned rules.

Among other rules it’s considering, the City Council said it wants to to keep medical pot dispensaries 500 feet away from places that focus on youth, such as parks, schools and churches.

Larsson said Sutter Middle School is 470 feet away from her East Sacramento shop. “I’m concerned that I won’t make it through the process,” Larsson said.

She would not be able to relocate to another site that fits within the city’s planned rules. “I can’t afford the expense of moving and starting,” Larsson said, adding that when a dispensary moves, its members don’t necessarily follow.

The City Council is leaning toward rules in which the majority of the 39 dispensaries would need to qualify for special permits, according to Michelle Heppner, special projects manager for the city.

Larsson, who also sits on the board of directors for the Sacramento Alliance of Collectives, said she thinks the city may use the permits to cut the number of shops. “The special permitting process would allow them to close a lot of doors if they choose to,” Larsson said.

The special permit would come with costs that may be daunting for dispensaries, according to Heppner. She said she’s heard medical marijuana dispensary representatives express concern that they might not be able to apply for the permit because of the cost.

“This may end up being an expensive process,” Heppner said.

Meanwhile, Sonny Kumar, executive director of the El Camino Wellness Center, is taking the planned rules in stride.

“I am not concerned at all that we’ll have any problems meeting or exceeding any of their criteria,” he said.

Kumar praised the city on its plans for the medical marijuana ordinance, saying it “did a good job.”

On the issue of the number of dispensaries in town, Kumar claimed that some of the 39 dispensaries that registered with the city did not actually open.

The issue of regulating the dispensaries cannot easily be described in concrete terms: there are many nuances and caveats. For example, Heppner drew a line between issuing permits and allowing the medical pot dispensaries to apply for permits. “The objective is not to issue 39 permits,” Heppner said. “It’s to give them the opportunity to apply.”

On top of the rules being planned for the city, Larsson pointed out that California voters could decide in November to legalize pot.

Heppner told the City Council she plans to present draft language for a medical marijuana ordinance in late September.

Photo by Brandon Darnell. A worker at Canacare waters medicinal marijuana plants.

Kathleen Haley is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.