ADELANTO — ​The city's medical marijuana ordinance, seen as a cornerstone of its long-term revenue strategy, underwent a major overhaul Wednesday night to comply with recent state laws.

Under the guidance of new City Attorney Curtis Wright, the Adelanto City Council approved 4-1 the first reading of a plan that focuses on elements regulated by California in October's Medical Marijuana Regulation and Safety Act: cultivation, manufacturing, testing and business-to-business transportation and distribution.

By rectifying holes Wright identified in the ordinance, a slightly frustrated Council also maintained optimism that the changes were the right way to move forward as the city seeks to beat an early August deadline to put a medical marijuana tax on the November ballot.

But amid the shift to align with state regulation, Wednesday's meeting also revealed another, more dramatic pivot: the city appears poised next month to lift its long-standing ban on pot dispensaries.

Mayor Rich Kerr said the city needed to revisit dispensaries in order to avoid allowing other municipalities to "reap the benefits" of the indoor grows in Adelanto, clarifying that he would advocate for "two or three" permits.

"But we have to do that," he said, "because the revenue that a dispensary would generate is 10 times what the (marijuana) growth is going to generate."

Johnny Salazar, a long-time medical marijuana advocate and Adelanto resident, praised the renewed look at dispensaries as the overdue wind-down to his five-year effort for safe access.

"I'm glad we're moving forward with my program," he said.

Manny Serrano, spokesman for the High Desert Cannabis Association, urged city leaders not to balk, however, saying they had opened up access to cultivators, manufacturers, and others, yet stopped too short in those efforts.

"But you have forgot one person, your greatest asset to this city," he said. "You have forgot the access for the patients."

The Council should outlaw deliveries with the exception of their relation to dispensaries, according to medical marijuana proprietor and lawyer Freddy Sayegh. The issue also will be broached next month.

From a financial standpoint, Sayegh estimated the city stood to make a "tremendous amount" of point-of-sale revenue through transportation and distribution.

Wright, the city attorney, suggested the Council pass a 15-percent excise tax on medical marijuana activities and review potentially changing its current $100 business license flat tax structure to be commensurate with a company's revenue. The city is likely to authorize independent studies on taxes and fees.

Since the ordinance passed in November, 26 medical marijuana permits have been issued, yet none of the businesses have been granted conditional use permits to move forward. The earliest CUPs will be issued is now June 11 as the modified ordinance is finalized.

Mayor Pro Tem Jermaine Wright and Kerr acknowledged the delay was a source of frustration on two fronts: The proprietors' business interests have stalled, but mostly the city has other concerns that need to be addresses.

" ... Get it done right the first time and we can get it over with," Wright said, "and we can move on and grow other areas of this city instead of just trying to worry about the green bill."

Shea Johnson may be reached at 760-955-5368 or SJohnson@VVDailyPress.com. Follow him on Twitter at @DP_Shea. ​