Cannabis retail options discussed
The Woodland Planning Commission discussed updating the commercial cannabis ordinance to consider retail use in the city, which would allow dispensaries and other cannabis retailers to open shop.
“In 2017, the city council approved the regulatory framework to allow commercial cannabis uses in the city of Woodland,” Cindy Norris, principal planner for Woodland, said during the Thursday Zoom meeting.
The purpose of the meeting was to review the potential to allow cannabis retailers, use types and locations as well as the number of potential cannabis retailer conditional use permits.
Norris provided a presentation highlighting what the city’s current zoning ordinance allows and what needs to be changed to allow retail fronts such as dispensaries. According to Norris, the city’s zoning ordinance currently allows up to six conditional use permits for commercial cannabis use which includes manufacturing, distribution and testing. However, it does not allow for storefront retail stores or commercial cannabis cultivation.
“Should the recommendation be approved, the city would allow a total of 10 cannabis conditional use permits,” Norris explained.
“Six would be held for manufacturing, distribution and testing and only four would be allowed for retail.”
Businesses seeking a conditional use permit are currently required to obtain a cannabis business permit as well and are supposed to execute an operating agreement that includes a requirement for a monthly payment to the city based on an agreedupon percentage of their gross receipts for the previous month.
“The cannabis business permit is reviewed annually and can be revoked or denied,” Norris emphasized. “However, this does not necessarily revoke the underlying conditional use permit.”
The agreed-upon monthly payment for the manufacturing and distribution entities is 5% and 4%, respectively, of monthly gross receipts or $1,500 — whichever is greater — according to the staff report.
Norris also noted the benefits cannabis uses — cannabis-oriented businesses — shown to have on communities where they are implemented.
“To date, the existing cannabis uses have been very cooperative,” Norris emphasized.
The police department has found no additional public safety issues as a result of the three operating commercial cannabis facilities, according to Norris.
“Due to the increased security measures that are required such as cameras and guards, found that there are relatively few crimes that occur in association with cannabis,” Norris said. “Our police department has been researching best practices in the industry and, while our current regulations have resulted in safe operations, we will be adding some additional security measures to the cannabis business permit requirements that will be reviewed by the city council.”
Community and industry members have approached the city requesting amendments to current regulations to allow cannabis retail uses and the city has undertaken the effort to consider updates, according to Norris.
A subcommittee made up of two council members and three planning commission members was created to discuss the requested amendment.
“The subcommittee met on three occasions and then made final recommendations,” Norris said.
Possible zoning amendments would allow cannabis retail in most commercial and mixed-use districts including in downtown Woodland while continuing a 600foot buffer requirement already in place.
“This means a 600-foot buffer from schools, parks or any youth-serving activity,” Norris emphasized. “The subcommittee also felt comfortable that the 600-foot sensitivity buffer would likely reduce any overconcentration, particularly downtown.”
Kimberly Cargile, CEO of Therapeutic Alternative — a Sacramento-based dispensary — said she’s been advocating to be allowed to open a retail use storefront in Woodland for a little over five years.
Her company — Woodland Cannabis Collective — is looking to applying for a conditional use permit for a location they’ve leased at 163 Court St. in Woodland.
“We will be able to provide a professional atmosphere catering to seniors and their specific needs,” Cargile highlighted.
Rob Read, owner of F Street Dispensary in Davis, also expressed interest in opening a dispensary in Woodland.
“We’ve been down this road in multiple cities from the beginning and we know it’s a long road,” he said. “We know it can be contentious at times, but every day we are serving upwards of 100 people from Woodland who you may be surprised of. It’s not necessarily the folks who get pigeonholed as cannabis users, but folks of all socio-economic backgrounds who are utilizing cannabis as medicine or for recreational uses.”
The next steps will be to bring the planning commission’s recommendations to the city council, update the cannabis business permit ordinance to add retail-related requirements and updated public safety regulations, update recommended fees and consider a possible review process and evaluation criteria, according to the staff report.