Sun. Dec 22nd, 2024

It looks like some residents of northeast Santa Ana are riled up about medical marijuana, which was legalized by California voters awhile ago.

Here is an email that was circulated today about a meeting regarding medical marijuana dispensaries in northeast Santa Ana:

Good afternoon everyone,

I would like to call your attention to a meeting on the proliferation of Medical Marijuana Dispensaries in the City of Santa Ana. I live in North / East Santa Ana and there are currently 16 active dispensaries on 17th St. between the 5 Freeway and the 55 Freeway. The problems that these dispensaries are causing is a City wide concern impacting the quality of life for both the residents as well as the business community.

This meeting will be quite educational and I encourage everyone to attend. It’s being sponsored by the City of Santa Ana and the Santa Ana Police Dept.

The speakers are as follows:

1. Commander Ken Gominsky – SAPD Field Operations

2. Detective Michael Gibbons – SAPD District Investigations

3. Alvaro Nunez – Community Preservation Coordinator – City of Santa Ana Code Enforcement

4. Mike McCoy – SAPD Community Services Specialist

There wil also be some discussion on Unsightly Vacant Commercial Buildings and Vehicle / Property Crimes.

Date – 05/19/11

Location – Church of the Nazarene – 1500 E. 17th St., Santa Ana ( Fellowship Hall )

Time – 4:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m – Information tables and Safety Displays

4:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. – Informational Meeting

This is an issue that affects all of our neighborhoods City wide so I encourage you to attend and please spread the word.

Thank you,

Winston R. Covington
Co-Chairman
Meredith / Parkwood and Portola Park Neighborhood Associations
714 832 0020 Ext. # 118

author avatar
Art Pedroza Editor
Our Editor, Art Pedroza, worked at the O.C. Register and the OC Weekly and studied journalism at CSUF and UCI. He has lived in Santa Ana for over 30 years and has served on several city and county commissions. When he is not writing or editing Pedroza specializes in risk control and occupational safety. He also teaches part time at Cerritos College and CSUF. Pedroza has an MBA from Keller University.

By Art Pedroza

Our Editor, Art Pedroza, worked at the O.C. Register and the OC Weekly and studied journalism at CSUF and UCI. He has lived in Santa Ana for over 30 years and has served on several city and county commissions. When he is not writing or editing Pedroza specializes in risk control and occupational safety. He also teaches part time at Cerritos College and CSUF. Pedroza has an MBA from Keller University.

49 thoughts on “Santa Ana northeast neighbors meeting regarding medical pot, on May 19”
  1. You bet we are riled up!

    I noticed that you posted a photo of a nice little old lady who probably has a real need for the relief of symptoms which medical marijuana apparently allows. The problem is that if you were to do a survey of the actual customer’s of these pot shops – you will find that that nice little old lady is not representative of the over-whelming majority of potheads who are the real customer base of the dispensaries.

    These potheads are pigs who leave their pot trash all over the neighborhood – cause property damage and increase crime.

    Why are most of the pot shops located on upper floors of office buildings that don’t have elevators or any handicap access for the nice little old lady in the wheel chair?

  2. Stan – I don’t care if the pigs smoke pot – I do resent the fact that they hide their piggish behavior behind nice little old ladies and f**k up my neighborhood.

    1. junior,

      What if, God forbid, you came down with a painful, fatal disease? Wouldn’t you be lining up to buy medicinal pot too?

  3. “Wouldn’t you be lining up to buy medicinal pot to..”

    Yes, I probably would – but I wouldn’t want to buy it from a dispensary that is a front for a pot shop and a gathering place for disgusting creeps who hide behind sick little old ladies.

  4. “I do resent the fact that they hide their piggish behavior behind nice little old ladies and f**k up my neighborhood.”……… Hmmmmm

    I do not see any thing like you describe in my neighborhood……. may be you are on ganja yourself.

  5. Stan – are ther 15 pot shops within 1 1/2 miles of your home?

    There are that many close to my neighborhood.

    1. Junior,

      Maybe you should have allowed the Buffalo Wild Wings to open up. Might have given them something better to do?

  6. “Maybe they are buying the herb for their grandmas?”

    Why do I bother trying to have a serious discussion with you?

  7. “are ther 15 pot shops within 1 1/2 miles of your home?”……….. Hmmmm

    Would you prefer 15 oriental massage parlors within 1 1/2 miles of your home?

    There where you can do wink- wink and the 4th of July begins?

  8. Why are most of the pot shops located on upper floors of office buildings that don’t have elevators or any handicap access for the nice little old lady in the wheel chair?

  9. First, It’s interesting that Winston, who I generally like and have worked with did not invite a SINGLE representitive from any of the collectives, nor has he talked with them trying to solve the percieved problem. While it’s doubtful they would step into the trap, it’s worth trying.

    As for Junior’s out of touch comments, I don’t think that the sudden infusion of trash in his neighborhood is the result of the dispensaries, rather the same old “pigs” and “undesirables” that frequent the neighborhood. Demographics have changed and with that enforcement and concern for things like clean streets have diminished.

    Most of the customers from the “pot stores” are travelling and wat to get the hell out of there as soon as possible.

    This NIMBY approach is telling of how the neighborhoods have changed. But, fear not because everyday the new generation drives by the Tardiff house and say: Thats the place where that crazy, bitter old man lives”.

  10. “Why are most of the pot shops located on upper floors of office buildings that don’t have elevators or any handicap access for the nice little old lady in the wheel chair?”……… Hmmmm

    Name one!…… Give me an address.

  11. Ken Lay,

    You don’t even live in Santa Ana anymore. You live in Orange! You have no right to comment here! Go away!

  12. 15 pot shops, wow.

    I bet that is more than liquor stores.

    What is the city license tax on one of these shops? And has the price of their product dropped so the drug war in Mexico can end?

  13. Junior, the omniscient.

    Do you have addresses that you can list of these 15 pot collectives that you claim are in your neighborhood? I’m in the market for a new collective and don’t need to hide behind my grandma to get my medication. How much do they charge for 1/8 oz of blueberry kush in your neighborhood these days? The few shops in South MasterPlannedistan charge way too much for their product since Grand Emporer Bren and his Irvine Co. stormtroopers need to get his “cut” of the proceeds.

    To make you feel safer junior, I promise to be one of those (in the words of Kenlay)”… customers from the “pot stores” (that) are travelling and wa(n)t to get the hell out of there as soon as possible.”

  14. Holly said: “You don’t even live in Santa Ana anymore. You live in Orange!”

    Holly – That pr**k kenlay keeps posting my name as Tardif on every blog in the OC. It seems only fair that we know the identity of mr. kenlay – what do you think?

  15. “That pr**k kenlay keeps posting my name as Tardif on every blog in the OC”…….. Hmmm

    Googling kenlay images shows an obese person, so you shouldn’t have hard time to figure out who kenlay is.

  16. “Do you have addresses that you can list of these 15 pot collectives that you claim are in your neighborhood?”……… Hmmmm

    Fawkes, they are located on the spiral of life.

  17. Guy,

    I assume that you carry a medical marijuana permission card.

    Do you toke for pleasure or for a true medical reason, like grandma here?

  18. Actually Ken Lay is enjoying retirement on the Bush girls family compound in Paraguay!

    No viable extradition treaty as long as I procreate a male son.

  19. okay mr. kenlay (actually mr. CL)- I have your handle now – & I see your vile buddy on the SA PC has trained you well.

  20. You assume correctly. I have one of those ID cards. Which reminds me, my renewal is up in two months. Know of any doctors in your area that have cheap renewal rates?

    I vaporize (much better than smoking) for a host of medical reasons that I really don’t feel the need to justify to the likes of you or anyone here. My prescribed medication should be up to me and my doctor, not the government or a bunch of disgruntled citizens who have nothing better to do than stick their noses in the business of other people. Let’s put it this way. I can lead a fairly productive and active life without writhing in pain constantly. And I don’t get any nasty side effects unlike what things like Oxy and Vicodin have to offer. Taking medical MJ for the last few years has made my life a lot more tolerable and pleasurable than the crap that the FDA and the pharmaceutical industry deems as safe and legal. But I guess in your eyes that makes me a scumbag loser, right? Taking pleasure in a form of pain relief that brings me some much needed comfort. Yes, I do take pleasure in it.

    If it were up to the likes of you, I’d be sitting in jail cell with rapists and thieves. Should I follow the advice of many of your fundamentalist socialist conservative colleagues like Spanky Wagner and “pray” the pain away? You tell me. Better yet, why don’t you step away from the comforts of your keyboard and split screen monitors that you comment and secretly watch mature midget porn on and tell me face to face. I guarantee you wouldn’t have the courage or the guts to do that.

    Stan…where does junior fit in the spiral of life?

  21. Guy Fawkes Posted:
    “Junior, the omniscient.”

    Actually Guy, junior is not omniscient – he just thinks he is.

  22. “I assume that you carry a medical marijuana permission card.”……… Hmmmm

    I am sure that Dr. Amalgam would call the prescription directly into the dispensary providing that you can show a toothache.

  23. Guy said: “My prescribed medication should be up to me and my doctor ..”

    Perhaps you have a true medical need, but for many that is code for – I can pay some lame doc who sells permission cards for major medical (like whatever I can make up out of thin air) & I can toke to my hearts content & laugh at you suckers.

    I have a feeling that a lot of that is going to change Guy – people see through the charade of potheads hiding behind the sickly nice little old grandma.

  24. Someone ripped you a new one over on the Navel Gazing Blog. It is on the Catholic Church/Crystal Cathedral Post.

  25. “I have a feeling that a lot of that is going to change Guy – people see through the charade of potheads hiding behind the sickly nice little old grandma.”……… Hmmmm

    And why do you care?

    What is your “F”ing problem, Tardif ?

    Soon or the later the ganja will be legal.

    It is better to be potheads than dumbhead like you.

  26. Im trying to open a rc track here in santa ana and it seems like they bow to these medical shops that illegaly operating with no city permit…and yes its true

  27. Congratulations to the organizers of this community meeting. Turn-out was very good – estimated at about 80 concerned residents. Santa Ana PD and Code Enforcement gave presentations indicating that crime has not gone up in the neighborhood and that this is a code enforcement issue and gave their explanation of the code enforcement process.

    Residents were not buying that bureaucratic nonsense – they want action. Several attendees suggested that residents contact their city council representatives and express their concern for the degradation of the neighborhood and let them know they are not happy with they see as lack of City action to eliminate this blight.

  28. the city is making big money on these shops and so are the owners santa ana is ranked number 1 in orange county heres the link below..making big money to sell dope coming from the streets and getting away with it…..its the fastest type of business to make revenue here in santa ana and I mean lots of revenue…there in front of schools , goverment offices just amazing how they get away with it
    http://legalmarijuanadispensary.com/index.php?option=com_jreviews&Itemid=117&url=Los-Angeles-Dispensaries/california-dispensaries/santa-ana-marijunana-dispensaries_c119_m117/

  29. Perhaps the Santa Ana Safety Committee meeting would be an opportunity to bring the safety problems associated with the medical marijuana dispensary issue to the attention of City Council members – Tinajero, Benavides and Alvarez are scheduled to be in attendance.
    http://www.ci.santa-ana.ca.us/coc/documents/agenda_public_safety.pdf

    May 24, 2011 – 5:30 P.M.
    Santa Ana Police Department
    60 Civic Center Plaza, Community Room
    Santa Ana, California

  30. George Collins’ video of the SAPD and Code Enforcement’s excuses why virtually nothing is being done to rid the City of pot shops – a bureaucratic circle j**k.

  31. Admin,

    Speaking of Buffao Wild Wings did you hear the largest BWW n the nation opened in Brea?

    You can read about it here: http://fastfood.ocregister.com/2011/05/21/inside-the-nations-largest-buffalo-wild-wings/96037/

    We could’ve had one of these fine establishments here in Santa Ana but a small handful of folks including “junior” aka Mike Tardif caused the applicant so many problems that they packed up and left.

    So it is not just medical marijuana dispensaries that Mike Tardif has an issue with, he seems to scream “NO” at new businesses in general. How does he expect us to generate any revenue if we chase all the businesses out of town?

    I thought he was a small government, anti-tax, Republican. It appears to me that is is nothing more than your typical NIMBY from the “Coalition of No”.

  32. How many sections of the Santa Ana Code of Ethics did City Council appointee to the City of Santa Ana Planning Commission – Mr. Sean Mill – violate with the above blog comment?

    At least 5 sections violated – you bet the City Council is going to hear about this.

    Too late Sean …. screen grab got it.

    1. Mike,

      That is ridiculous. Sean expressed an opinion – something you do here almost daily. And I agree with him. It is sad that you drove Buffalo Wild Wings out of Santa Ana. You cost us jobs and tax revenue. It is karma that your house is now surrounded by pot outlets.

      Furthermore it is despicable of you to try to shut down Sean’s right to free speech. I know for a fact that you comment on many blogs in the OC under an assumed name. Sean never does that. He at least has the huevos to comment using his own name.

  33. Hey Sean Mill,
    Do you support the medical marijuana business?
    Looking forward to your response.

  34. Just Asking,

    I did not want you to think I was ignoring your question, however as a matter of principle I will not answer questions posed by anonymous commenters. If you want to ask it here under your real name or even email me at seanhmill@gmail.com I will be happy to answer you.

    My position on medical marijuana facilities is a matter of public record though. The issue came before the Planning Commission a few years back and my comments and vote are there for you to see.

    Thanks!

  35. Mike Tardif,

    If wanting to see businesses thrive and our tax base grow as a result of new businesses like a Buffalo Wild Wings is a violation of the ethics code then I happily plead guilty.

    Standing in opposition to everything and constantly acting as a contrarian to the actions of our great council majority is not going to help move our city forward. If my support for their efforts is a violation of the ethics code then I happily plead guilty.

    The fact that you disagree with my position and have a very hostile hatred of me does not equal a violation of the ethics code. Being a member of the Planning Commission does not forbid me from having an opinion as to what direction I would like to see this city go and discussing them in a public forum.

    I constantly hear you wanting transparency from your government and your elected/appointed officials. You have that from me, I will happily let you and other (non-anonymous) folks know where I stand and why I am taking that position. You can’t have it both ways.

  36. pot shops=50 in the city
    pipe and tabacco shops =15 in the city
    hobby shops = 0
    rc track or park to run rc cars =0 the city prohibites rc cars at parks its against the law
    rc races to benefit our local parks and recreation = 0
    doing all i can to be heard..sean

  37. They blew the doors off the place in Brea the other night, A LOT OF PEOPLE SPENDING A LOT OF MONEY and the business around there were happy to take it.

    And imagine, not a single broken window, hooker parked outside the houses nearby, just people having fun. How’s that gym working out for you Mike?

    Time for bed old man.

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