The Planning Commission will hear a presentation from the city providing an update on the adoption of cannabis ordinances as well as further steps for implementation at its Thursday meeting.

In the wake of the passage of Proposition 64 in November 2016 which legalized cannabis use in California, the Benicia City Council spent much of 2017 discussing how, and if, it should be implemented. Ultimately, the city ended up adopting ordinances to allow personal cultivation, medicinal and non-medical cannabis sales and microbusinesses, and manufacturing, distribution and delivery businesses.

On Feb. 20, the council adopted four cannabis ordinances, which together: allow personal cultivation for private use within private residences, allow commercial and industrial cannabis uses in Benicia while subject to limitations and conditions under state and city law, require all commercial and industrial cannabis uses to obtain public safety licenses and cannabis use permits prior to approval, require commercial and industrial cannabis operations to submit pre-applications and attend pre-application meetings, allow a maximum of two cannabis retail businesses in Benicia subject to a competitive process and allow one microbusiness location, which is also subject to a competitive process with retail limited to delivery.

On March 20, the council approved scoring and evaluation criteria for commercial cannabis uses. These categories included location, a business plan, community benefits, environmental benefits, a neighborhood compatibility plan and an air quality plan. Additionally, on June 5, the council adopted permit fees, which provide for full cost recovery and include application fees for public safety licenses and use permits.

City staff is currently in the process of finalizing a Request for Proposals (RFP) for retail and microbusiness use, according to a staff report. The submissions would consist of a public safety license application to address police and fire requirements, and a preliminary cannabis application to go over the pre-application requirement for a cannabis use permit. The RFP is expected to be completed in the middle of the month.

The city is currently accepting pre-application requests and plans to being processing cannabis use permit applications in late 2018, according to the staff report.

Since the item is merely a presentation, the Planning Commission does not need to take action on it at this time.

In other business, the Commission will hear an update on Senate Bill 35, which requires a ministerial approval process for affordable housing within a defined timeframe.

The Planning Commission will meet at 7 p.m. Thursday, July 12 in the Council Chamber of City Hall, located at 250 East L St.

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