Sacramento wants to ban outdoor marijuana gardens

Sacramento wants to ban outdoor medical marijuana gardens, saying the pot farms are a magnet for crime.

The City Council voted Tuesday to draft an ordinance prohibiting outdoor marijuana grows.

Deputy Police Chief Dana Matthes says the outdoor gardens are leading to crime, including a recent incident in which a homeowner fired gunshots at intruders in his backyard crop.

The Sacramento Bee says the council also voted to keep restrictions on medical marijuana dispensaries. The pot shops cannot operate within 1,000 feet of other dispensaries, 300 feet of residences and 600 feet of schools and parks.

There are 17 marijuana dispensaries in Sacramento. The city has a moratorium on dispensaries following a series of federal crackdowns.