|
Back to Calendar
Return
|
| |
Regular-General Government # 27.
|
| Board of Supervisors |
County Administrator |
|
|
|
| Subject |
| Receive update and provide input on the proposed medical cannabis cultivation land use ordinance guiding principles, timeline, and public outreach efforts. Receive update and provide input on community discussion opportunity, pilot project Request for Applications process, and June 2018 tax measure. Receive an update on enforcement and public safety associated with cannabis cultivation in the County. (No general fund impact) (Nunes/Strachan) |
| Recommended Action |
- Receive update and provide input on the proposed medical cannabis cultivation land use ordinance guiding principles, timeline, and public outreach efforts;
- Receive update and provide input on community discussion opportunity, pilot project Request for Applications process, and June 2018 tax measure; and
- Receive an update on enforcement and public safety associated with cannabis cultivation in the County.
|
| Strategic Plan Goal(s) |
Safe Communities
Sustainable Environment
Flourishing Agriculture |
| Reason for Recommended Action/Background |
On September 12, staff provided the Board with an update on the County's medical cannabis cultivation program. At that meeting, staff committed to provide the Board with the proposed guiding principles and timeline for the development of a cannabis land use ordinance and permitting process for medical cannabis cultivation.
Proposed Guiding Principles
The proposed guiding principles are based upon feedback received from the Board, provisions in the existing cannabis interim ordinance and proposed amendments to the ordinance considered by the Board on September 12, and staff experience in implementing the program. The guiding principles would be used by the Planning Commission in developing the cannabis land use ordinance and permitting process. California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) compliance will be conducted as part of ordinance development. This in turn will help streamline the permitting process once the ordinance is in effect. The proposed guiding principles are included in Attachment A.
Timeline for Preparing and Adopting the Cannabis Land Use Ordinance
Planning Commission workshops and hearings are proposed to begin in November 2017 and extend to March 2018. Preparation of a CEQA document would occur concurrently with ordinance development. Staff expect the ordinance would be sufficiently developed to enable a stable project description for CEQA review by about March 2018. Staff is assuming an 8-month timeline for preparation of a Programmatic Environmental Impact Report (EIR), if necessary, or a bit less for a negative declaration--the timeline included in Attachment B conservatively assumes an EIR is prepared. Once the CEQA process is complete, the Planning Commission would hold a final hearing on the EIR or other CEQA document and the ordinance in November 2018. Hearings before the Board would begin in December 2018 and it is anticipated that final action on the CEQA document and adoption of the ordinance would occur in March 2019. The proposed ordinance development timeline is included in Attachment B.
Public Outreach
Staff’s planned public outreach efforts for the development of the cannabis land use ordinance and permitting process consist of both electronic and in-person communications. This month, staff intends to develop a webpage, to be located within the Department of Community Services webpages, focusing on the development of the cannabis land use ordinance and permitting process. This will include the development timeline, public meeting schedule, and guiding principles. The webpage will provide a portal for people to provide their contact information to receive future updates and other outreach materials. A link will be provided so people can ask questions and provide feedback. Lastly, the webpage will include links to the interim ordinance, the County’s cannabis FAQ page, and state laws and regulations related to cannabis and the agencies responsible for implementing them. In October, staff also intends to open a cannabis Twitter account and Facebook page as additional means of providing information to the public. Staff also intends to identify other social media venues for informing the public of upcoming meetings and soliciting input.
The majority of the public meetings will be held as a separate facilitated public discussions following Citizen Advisory Committee meetings. The focus of the first series of meetings will be to communicate the scope and purpose of the proposed cannabis land use ordinance and obtain public input on the guiding principles and process. Meetings are anticipated to begin in November and will be held in Capay, Clarksburg, Dunnigan (including Yolo and Zamora), Esparto (including Madison), South and West Davis, West Plainfield, and Knights Landing. Staff also intends to meet with industry stakeholders.
The second series of the facilitated meetings will be held in the same locations in late January/early February, after the Planning Commission has approved the draft outline for the Land Use Ordinance. If there are significant changes to the ordinance from what is specified in the outline, staff would likely hold additional public meetings, as needed, prior to the ordinance being heard by the Planning Commission and Board.
Once the cannabis land use ordinance and permitting process has been approved by the Board, staff’ outreach efforts will focus on holding workshops for cultivators on compliance with the newly adopted cannabis land use program.
Attachment C includes a comment letter from the City of Woodland regarding the establishment of a buffer between the City of Woodland boundaries and cannabis cultivation locations.
Additional Topics
Interim Ordinance
The first reading of the amended Interim Ordinance will be on Oct 24, 2017. The second reading is scheduled for November 7, 2017.
Community Discussions
Outside entities such as the Yolo County Ag and Food Alliance have expressed an interest in having additional community conversations regarding cannabis. If the Board is interested, it could consider partnering with the Yolo County Ag and Food Alliance or similar organization who would engage a facilitator to hold community discussions on cannabis programs county wide. These discussions could involve the cities and provide better communication and coordination between the jurisdictions. Staff has identified gaps in the programs such as consumer protection and public education, where greater collaboration is needed with the cities. Facilitated public education meetings could also be held to educate the public on cannabis and the programs within the County and cities. The results of these meetings could then be brought to the Board.
Pilot Project RFP Process
Staff is developing the “Request for Application” materials for a competitive process to select up to two medical cannabis nurseries and up to two drying/hand trimming facilities. It is anticipated that the application materials will be brought before the Board in November.
June 2018 Tax Measure
Staff has directed HDL, the County’s sales tax consultant, to proceed with the cannabis tax revenue analysis. A draft should be available by October 23. As such, staff anticipates returning to the Board on November 7, as originally planned. Staff is also collecting sample tax information from other entities to provide context for taxing mechanisms and rates. Additionally, staff has begun compiling cannabis mitigation needs assessments from various public service agencies including:
Sheriff
District Attorney
First 5
Davis Joint Unified School District
HHSA (pending)
Office of Education/School Districts (pending)
The subcommittee will be meeting at regular intervals through the end of the year to provide input to staff. Staff intends to provide the Board a complete briefing on cannabis taxation options, preliminary revenue and mitigation needs assessments, and policy recommendations on November 7.
Public Safety
The Sheriff’s Office will provide an update on enforcement and public safety associated with cannabis cultivation in the County. |
| Collaborations (including Board advisory groups and external partner agencies) |
| County Administrator's office, Agriculture Department, County Counsel, Community Services Department, Sheriff's Office, District Attorney's Office. |
|
| Fiscal Impact |
|
|
| Source of Funds for this Expenditure |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|