SANTA CRUZ — Halloween may be approaching with its orange pumpkins and ghostly white costumes, but next week's Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors meeting will take place in a decidedly green hue.
The board is scheduled to consider a pair of proposed ordinances at Tuesday's meeting that would allow cannabis consumption in existing retail stores and on-site farm sites. To add some predictability to the meeting's jam-packed agenda, those items are scheduled to be debated inside the board's chambers, 701 Ocean St. in Santa Cruz, by 1:30 p.m. .
The first item specifically pertains to consumables that can be inhaled in existing retail stores or adjacent lots within unincorporated areas. The designated puff zones will have strict ventilation and odor requirements and must follow state workplace smoking regulations, according to a staff report.
There are 12 licensed dispensaries in the unincorporated area, according to the county's Cannabis Licensing Office, but not all local retailers are able to develop on-site consumption systems due to space, site and financial constraints.
Some local farmers also want to get in on the action, and a second ordinance was created to allow retail sales and create similar consumption restrictions when the bud itself is actually grown. In a county whose economy relies primarily on tourism, advocates say these new rules could encourage agrotourism for visitors and locals who want to learn more about the cannabis industry and cultivation process. There is.
According to county officials, the farm-focused ordinance is a three-year pilot that will allow operational changes to begin, while also allowing room for feedback and oversight from operators, neighbors, the public and county officials themselves. It is intended as a program.
Based on consultation with county staff and tour operators in other jurisdictions, the minimum viable number of retail farms to participate in this program is three, but five to seven is ideal.
Staff recommendations come to the board after nearly a year of community discussions, consultations with farmers and retailers, as well as surveys and informational interviews with neighboring jurisdictions.
According to the agenda report, there was limited thorough economic analysis to measure the financial impact of on-site consumption at farms and retail stores, but staff believe this change will result in an increase in the total amount of cannabis business taxes that counties will collect each year. We hypothesized that this would result in a slight increase in Still, staffers noted that the ordinance could have broader economic benefits if it strengthens the county's status as a desirable tourist destination. It also has the potential to encourage collaboration between local businesses to develop tours that feature multiple destinations and a variety of activities.
2 unit development
Also on the board's agenda is another proposed ordinance that would bring the county into alignment with recently enacted state housing laws.
The ordinance was created as a local code for state Senate Bill 9 and allows property owners in single-family residential zones to build two units or divide the lot into two lots for a total of four units. There is.
Local governments can conduct design reviews under state law, but public hearings are not required for projects that meet state regulations, the staff report said.
If you go
What: The Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors is considering an on-site cannabis consumption program at retail stores and farms.
When: Tuesdays until 1:30 p.m.
How: 701 Ocean St. Room 525, Santa Cruz or Zoom: us06web.zoom.us/j/81732202363.
First Published: October 26, 2024 at 11:40am
