HomeMy WebLinkAboutCC RES 2017-74RESOLUTION NO. 2017-74
A RESOLUTION BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PALM
DESERT, CALIFORNIA, ESTABLISHING SELECTION CRITERIA TO BE
USED DURING THE REVIEW OF CONDITIONAL USE PERMITS FOR
COMMERCIAL CANNABIS BUSINESSES
CASE NO: ZOA 17-027
WHEREAS, pursuant to the authority granted to the City of Palm Desert ("City') by
Article XI, Section 7 of the Califomia Constitution, the City has the police power to regulate
the use of land and property within the City in a manner designed to promote public
convenience and general prosperity, as well as public health, welfare, and safety; and
WHEREAS, adoption and enforcement of comprehensive zoning regulation and
other land use regulations lies within the City's police powers; and
WHEREAS, Califomia has adopted, through ballot initiative, the Control, Regulate,
and Tax Adult Use of Marijuana Act (AUMA) to regulate the adult personal and commercial
use of cannabis, pursuant to local authority preserved in the AUMA; and
WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of Palm Desert, California, did on the 12th
day of October, 2017, hold a duly noticed public hearing to consider changes to the
Municipal Code of the City of Palm Desert, and adopted Ordinance 1329 establishing
commercial and personal cannabis regulations and a conditional use permit review process,
and
WHEREAS, Section 25.34.120(C)(1) provides a limit of six conditional use permits
for retail cannabis businesses, including up to one on El Paseo; the City anticipates that
there may be more applicants than available permits; and
WHEREAS, Section 25.34.120(D) provides distance standards that may limit the
number of conditional use permits in a given area; and
WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of Palm Desert, Califomia, directed staff to
establish a selection criteria for review of commercial cannabis business during the
conditional use permit process to ensure that only quality operators are permitted in the City
and to provide a basis for prioritizing applicants should the number of applicants exceed the
number or locations of available conditional use permits; and
WHEREAS, the selection criteria established in this resolution ensure that cannabis
businesses can operate in the City in a safe and limited manner, subject to licensing from
the State Bureau of Cannabis Control; and
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Palm
Desert, Califomia as follows:
SECTION 1. Adoption of Recitals. The City Council hereby adopts the foregoing
recitals as its findings in support of the following regulations and further finds that the
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following regulations to establish selection and prioritization criteria for commercial
cannabis businesses are beneficial and appropriate to protect the health, safety and
welfare of the residents and businesses of the City of Palm Desert.
SECTION 2. Adoption of selection criteria for review of commercial cannabis
businesses through the conditional use permit process as identified in Exhibit "A"
attached to this Resolution implements Ordinance No. 1329.
SECTION 3. Severability. If any section, subsection, subdivision, paragraph,
sentence, clause, or phrase in this ordinance or any part thereof is for any reason held to
be unconstitutional or invalid or ineffective by any court of competent jurisdiction, such
decision shall not affect the validity or effectiveness of the remaining portions of this
ordinance or any part thereof. The City Council hereby declares that it would have passed
each section, subsection, subdivision, paragraph, sentence, clause, or phrase thereof
irrespective of the fact that any one (1) or more subsections, subdivisions, paragraphs,
sentences, clauses, or phrases be declared unconstitutional, or invalid, or ineffective.
PASSED, APPROVED, AND ADOPTED by the City Council of the City of Palm
Desert, California, at its regular meeting held on the 26TH day of October, 2017, by the
following vote, to wit:
AYES: KELLY, WEBER, and JONATHAN
NOES: NONE
ABSENT: NESTANDE and HARNIK
ABSTAIN: NONE
ATTEST:
-)RA ELLASSEN, ITYCLERK
CITY OF PALM DESERT, CALIFORNIA
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SABBY JON • HAN, MAYOR PRO TEM
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EXHIBIT "A"
Selection Criteria — Commercial Cannabis Businesses:
The City recognizes that Palm Desert is an attractive place for business and that any
potential cannabis business needs to be thoughtfully reviewed to ensure that values and
priorities of the community remain ever present. Furthermore, the City anticipates that
there may be more applicants for certain commercial cannabis business conditional use
permits than allowed under Ordinance 1329. Therefore, the City has enacted, through
Resolution, the following selection and prioritization process for prioritizing applications
for commercial cannabis businesses.
I. Completeness Review
All commercial cannabis businesses are required to submit a Conditional Use
Permit (CUP) application, with fee, to the City's Community Development
Department. Applications will be reviewed for "completeness" to ensure that
applicants have submitted all the required information necessary for review of
the application. Only applications received within the first week of December
2017 ("initial review and prioritization period") and deemed complete will move
on for review under the City's selection criteria. After the initial review and
prioritization period, additional applications will be reviewed and processed
according to date the application is accepted as complete and will not be
subject to the review and prioritization process.
II. Selection Criteria
The following selection criteria will be used by the Department of Community
Development to evaluate and prioritize CUPs for commercial cannabis
businesses. Selection criteria listed below shall be scored on a 0 - 5 scale; with
a maximum of 5 points per criteria. A maximum total of 95 points is available
for each application. To obtain points, the applicant must demonstrate
compliance with the criteria listed. Greater points are awarded to applicants
who exceed the minimum standards listed in the selection criteria.
1. Location and Neighborhood Compatibility (35 points)
a. Has the applicant secured a lease and do the CCRs permit the use?
b. Is the location 1,000 feet away from schools, daycares, and youth
centers?
c. Are "sensitive uses" (places of worship, parks, pre-schools, drug or
rehab centers) within 500 feet of the location?
d. Has the applicant provided a detailed description of how the premises
and exterior building areas will be managed so as to avoid nuisance,
loitering, and other negative impacts on surrounding properties?
e. Does the applicant identify adequate odor control measures?
f. Is the operation plan prepared in accordance with Chapter 5.101?
g. Is the proposed use located in an appropriate zoning designation?
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2. Security Plan (10 points)
a. Is a detailed security plan provided that includes descriptions for
effective fire prevention, suppression, HVAC and alarm systems?
b. Does the security plan identify all required elements contained in
Chapter 5.101 and adequately address security for the particular site
and operation?
3. Qualifications/Experience of Professionals (15 points)
a. Does the applicant provide a viable business plan in accordance with
Chapter 5.101?
b. Does the applicant provide information demonstrating successful
previous business experience?
c. Do the principals of the business have successful business experience?
4. Building Facade and Interior Improvements (20 points)_
a. Does the applicant provide a detailed tenant improvement plan that
identifies all interior improvements?
b. Are the interior improvements attractive and in keeping with traditional
retail or industry standards?
c. Are the exterior facade improvements attractive, suitable for Palm
Desert's image and climate, and enhance the surrounding areas?
d. Does the applicant provide a detailed architectural plan for building
facade improvements?
5. Community Benefits (15 points)
a. Does the applicant provide an effective community outreach plan for
nearby and adjacent land uses?
b. Does the applicant describe credible benefits to the overall community,
local economy, and any community or non-profit contributions or
affiliations?
c. Does the applicant provide any additional community benefits described
in either their business plan or other documentation submitted as part of
the CUP?
III. Lottery.
Applications for retail/dispensaries, cultivation, manufacturing, delivery and
distribution, which receive tie scores from the selection criteria, will be entered
in to a lottery based on the category of their use. The first lottery winner will be
plotted on a map, along with a 1,500-foot radius, to determine if any other
applications are eliminated by the required separation distance. This process
will be repeated until all applications have been selected.
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