Northglenn is considering prohibiting marijuana social clubs.

The Planning Commission is expected to make a recommendation in the near future, after which council will take a formal vote.

Council discussed the issue and other Amendment 64-related items during its Feb. 4 study session and consensus was that those types of clubs should not be allowed in the city.

Amendment 64 legalizes recreational use of marijuana up to 1 ounce for anyone 21 or older. The social clubs are members-only (and not opened to the general public) and people bring their own marijuana to smoke, which is how they are able to operate under Amendment 64.

“Because there is no fundamental right to congregate for that purpose (smoking marijuana) ... it’s certainly something you can choose to legislate,” said city attorney Corey Hoffmann.

Council unanimously approved five other ordinances that dealt with making the city’s laws in compliance with Amendment 64. Council passed those ordinances during its Feb. 11 regular meeting. Public hearings and the second and final votes on the ordinances are scheduled for 7 p.m. Monday, Feb. 25, at City Hall, 11701 Community Center Drive.

Hoffmann warned that the wording of the ordinances were awkward because smoking marijuana was still illegal under federal law.

“The implementation that we’re recommending isn’t simply saying it’s legal because it’s not under all laws,” he said.

One of the ordinances addressed what was covered under “public.” Amendment 64 prohibits smoking marijuana in public, however, it does not elaborate if someone’s front yard, which the public can see, would be considered public.

Hoffmann posed a worse case scenario for council to consider when defining “public.”

“If you have a house next to a school, do you want to have someone smoking something that’s legal but in their front yard?” Hoffman asked.

Council decided that people will not be allowed to smoke in their front yards, unless it was enclosed.

Council will also decide in the next couple months whether it wants to allow retail marijuana businesses in the city. It is scheduled to discuss the issue during its March 18 study session.