Marijuana Dispensary Hit By Code Enforcement

By Mike Daniels, News Channel 3 Reportermdaniels@kesq.com

PALM SPRINGS -Just before 5p.m. Thursday evening, Palm Springs code enforcement officials red-tagged the Cannahelp medical marijuana co-op building deeming it unsafe and unable to be occupied.

Later Thursday evening, Palm Springs City Attorney Doug Holland told us it had nothing to do with the type of business, instead the building code violations inside.

“here was several thousands dollars of changes,” he told News Channel 3.”To the extent there was a serious significant public safety risk.”

Stacy Hoekenadel owns Cannahelp and is leasing the building near Industrial Way and Sunny Dunes in Palm Springs

He was in Las Vegas when the building was deemed unsafe. Over the phone he said he believes he was doing the right thing by getting the electrical work done.

The city inspected the building on Tuesday, and came back within the last couple days.

“There’s a lot work that was done, not in code,” said Holland.”So there’s going to be extensive that’s going to have to be redone.”

The Palm Springs City Council gave Cannahelp and another co-op a permit to run the medicinal marijuana cooperatives. Before they are up and running they must pass a code inspection.

The city’s attorney says it could now take weeks for code officials to clear Cannahelp.

“We were hoping to have them had hope for them to be open. At the same time these they have to comply with unsafe to the public.”