In a landmark 6-1 vote the Fresno City Council approved a measure that will outlaw indoor marijuana growing — a decision that bans the last legal route of obtaining medical marijuana within the city.

This comes after a similar measure by the Fresno County Board of Supervisors that unanimously approved a near-identical ban in January.

The city, which already bans outdoor grows and medical marijuana dispensaries, is one of the first in the state to outlaw all cultivation.

The Fresno Police Department has investigated 317 cases regarding residential growths in the last year, including four home invasion robberies associated with marijuana, according to Chief Jerry Dyer.

“What’s happened with our existing ordinance is that we have not had the consequences in place that would seriously deter people from growing marijuana outside,” Dyer said. “This would allow us not only to have the appropriate penalties and consequences in place to prevent outdoor, but also indoor growing of marijuana.”

Dyer also said that over time he believes it will place a smaller burden on police resources.

The council set a deadline of 120 days from the vote for growers to get rid of their plants or face a $1,000 fine per plant.

“I know you cannot see any visual wounds on me, but may I remind you that not all wounds are visible,” medical marijuana user Keith Clement said to the council. “None of you know my story, and why I medicate, but it is my medicine.”

Clement, despite the passing of the law, said he would continue to grow and use medical marijuana.

Several councilmen raised concerns about where people who legitimately rely on marijuana for medical purposes would be able to get the drug moving forward. While the Fresno county and city bans do not outlaw the use of medical marijuana, users may have to go as far south as Bakersfield or as far north as the Bay Area to obtain it.

District Seven Councilman Clint Olivier was the sole no vote.

Bus Rapid Transit

Weeks after a contentious Jan. 30 debate over the future of Bus Rapid Transit that stretched late into the night and in, the council Thursday voted to fund the planning and construction a revised plan for the system.

In a 6-1 vote the council approved the revised plan for BRT, a public transportation system, funded mostly by state money, that advocates say will be faster than Fresno’s current bus system, with three of the four councilmen who voted against it initially voting for the plan.

“The goal of what we’re doing here is not the status quo, it should be about getting people to use busses, to increase the ridership,” said Councilman Lee Brand, who voted against the original proposal. “I think this model will move a large way in that direction, to improving our ridership.”

The revised BRT proposal calls for 40 ft. instead of 60 ft. busses, more portable bus stops without the originally planned raised platforms and added security features at bus stops.

With this comes a project savings of $13.5 million from the original plan which can be used to create a faster Fresno Area Express system down Shaw Avenue stretching from West Avenue to Fresno State.

Councilman Steve Brandau, the only no vote, said his decision came as a result of lessening ridership and demand for existing busses.