LA County Orders Pot Shop to Close

South Whittier - A medical marijuana dispensary in unincorporated South Whittier was ordered today to close for operating in violation of county rules.

The Starlight 420 Center had been selling marijuana at 15640 Leffingwell Road for more than six months, according to county Supervisor Don Knabe.

The county sought to close the dispensary because of multiple code violations, including proximity to children's play areas.

The dispensary allegedly opened without obtaining or applying for a business license or conditional use permit and was operating 285 feet from a McDonald's playground and 595 feet from a child care center, according to Knabe.

The county's zoning ordinance for marijuana dispensaries was adopted in 2006 and prohibits dispensaries from operating within 1,000 feet of facilities for children.

The county began legal action against the dispensary's operators after neighbors complained in July about noxious odors and children having to pass the dispensary to reach a playground next door. Neighbors also said they saw adults giving marijuana to children waiting outside the dispensary.

Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Ralph Dau today granted the county's request for a preliminary injunction against the dispensary's operators, prohibiting them or their employees from possessing, giving away or selling marijuana at the Leffingwell location or anywhere else in the county.

The injunction will remain in effect until a hearing is held on whether to make the injunction permanent, and the dispensary is expected to close as soon as the owners are officially served.

"This is a big victory for the county," Knabe said. "Today's ruling is not about whether medical marijuana is right or wrong -- the voters have already answered that question.

"What is most important is ensuring the safety of our children and our communities, and ensuring that properly-permitted dispensaries operate within the law. Closing this dispensary was a high priority and ensures we are keeping our neighborhoods safe."