8/17: SF Green Cross's fight to keep permit continues

TO: Green Cross Members and Supporters

FROM: Rachel Sierra, member and Kevin Reed, proprietor

DATE: July 21, 2005

RE: Call to Action!

We wanted to thank you for attending the public hearing last Friday
and for speaking out in support of The Green Cross. It was quite a
spirit-booster to see and hear all of you! We remain firmly resolved
in our commitment to provide a friendly and professional medical
cannabis dispensary. We also know staying open requires an
outpouring of support from San Francisco Green Cross members,
neighborhood residents and allies.

We continue to need your help, so we wanted to let you know what you
can do between now and the next hearing scheduled for August 17, 2005
at 5:00 pm.

As those of us attending the hearing witnessed, there was lots of
passion on both sides of the issue. No summary can capture the
effect of a baby in her grandmother's arms.who supports revoking the
permit. Or, the effect of two persons with their seeing-eye dog
pleading for The Green Cross to be allowed to continue to serve its
members. Or, the effect of two health professions expressing support
on behalf of clients/patients who are dealing with AIDS or cancer. At
the end of the day, both sides had an opportunity to present their
case. Overall, the hearing fostered the illusion of democracy.

When we look at what happened behind the scenes, the illusion of
democracy in city offices is dispelled. The day before the hearing,
Kevin went to the Zoning Administrator to make copies of all of the
opposition letters and comments that had been submitted as part of
the record for the hearing. He found a memo that shows us how city
offices function, regardless of feigned democracy. On June 8th, two
days after the second neighborhood meeting, Dan Sider of the Zoning
Administrator's Office sent out a memo seeking the immediate
revocation of The Green Cross permit because Supervisor Dufty had
asked the Zoning Administrator to do this. The memo shows that city
offices may act on petty politics, disregarding their internal
policies, and making decisions even before the hearing designed to
get input from the neighborhood. The memo states the following:

"We need to revoke the Green Cross' permit. I know that this doesn't
follow our typical procedures or policies, but this is a unique case,
a unique land use, and we've been specifically asked by a Supervisor.
The most likely grounds for revocation would be Code Section 202(c)
which states that -- essentially -- no noxious use shall be allowed
to operate. Should the operator appeal this decision to the Board of
Appeals, so be it, but we have been asked to take immediate action."

What You Can Do

Although our attorney has written a compelling brief to appeal the
original suspension, our work is far from over. Here are some ways
to continue to help:

1.. The Zoning Administrator has agreed to continue to receive
written comments until Tuesday, July 26th. (Letters related to the
appeal process can be submitted to the same office until August
11th). If you have friends living in the neighborhood that have not
written a letter of support for The Green Cross, please get them to
do so. The letters should express support for maintaining the permit
of The Green Cross. Although we collected 2100 signatures on the
petition signed by many of you, letters are generally given much more
consideration. Please ask your friends to send Kevin a copy of the
letter to kevinreed at thegreencross.org.
2.. Bevan Dufty, the District County Supervisor needs to hear from
neighborhood residents that he is also THEIR elected official. As
such, it was wrong for him to pursue revoking the permit of The Green
Cross with the Zoning Administrator. His actions make a mockery of
the public hearing process. It would be great if Supervisor Dufty
and his staff person, Amanda Kahn received a barrage of calls and
letters.
3.. Those of you who have compassionate health care practitioners,
please ask them to write a letter of support. The Zoning
Administrator needs to hear that The Green Cross is critical to
patients living in, or in near-by neighborhoods. Again,
please send Kevin a copy at kevinreed at thegreencross.org.

4.. Make plans to attend the Public Hearing on August 17th. It is
scheduled for
5:00 pm at SF City Hall, Room 400, Carlton B. Goodlett Place.formerly 310 Polk Street.

Our final request of you is that you help us answer some of the
questions posed by the hearing administrator at the end of the
meeting. Although we have made significant changes in response to
complaints, we are willing to consider further action. The critical
question posed at the end of the hearing is: What modifications could
be made to ameliorate concerns? Please get back to us with your
ideas; we really do want to hear them.

We have tremendous confidence in our attorneys, but we recognize the
importance of mobilizing our community. Please, please write those
letters, give Supervisor Dufty a piece of your mind, and plan to come
to the hearing on August 17th!