Laserfiche WebLink
Planning Commission Regular Meeting Minutes February 20, 2014 <br /> Page 3 of 6 <br />In response to a further question from Commissioner Hernandez, Mr. Pio Roda said an ordinance amendment <br />would be required if the City decided it wanted to allow more than one medical marijuana dispensary. <br />The City’s Zoning Map seems to show one parcel in the IG(AU) District around Grant Avenue near the San <br />Lorenzo border that is indicated as eligible for a medical marijuana dispensary and an adjacent parcel that is not <br />so indicated, Commissioner Hernandez said. Planner Barros said the radius measurements around parcels <br />were established with the City’s GIS process, and if the radius touched any parcel, it would be disqualified from <br />eligibility. Accordingly, all the parcels surrounding the parcel Commissioner Hernandez pointed out were too <br />close to a school or recreational facility. <br />Commissioner Hernandez also asked why the ordinance requires edible product to be prepared at the <br />dispensary. Secretary Barros said that language is perhaps owing to concerns about potential health issues and <br />to encourage a higher, better use such as a cannabis goods manufacturing facility. <br />Commissioner Leichner, asked if it was the intention that the dispensary be allowed to make home deliveries <br />and have offsite transactions. Planner Barros said yes, that is currently allowed by State code. Commissioner <br />Leichner asked whether the dispensary would be required to provide parking spaces for it s own vehicles. <br />Planner Barros, noting that no additional parking requirements are imposed on restaurants that make home <br />deliveries, said it’s not included in the proposed Zoning Code amendments in this case either. <br />Commissioner Rennie said the RFP process seems odd in terms of this type of use. The law does not allow a <br />for-profit operation of a medical marijuana dispensary and allows only qualified patients and primary caregivers <br />associating collectively or cooperatively to engage in the activity of cultivating and consuming marijuana, he <br />said. The Supreme Court in the Riverside case told us that primary caregivers also must have a pre-existing <br />relationship with the qualified patient that goes beyond providing marijuana to include other types of essential <br />life services such as health and housing. Commissioner Rennie said he cannot see an RFP process that could <br />succeed in identifying someone who could possibly qualify as a primary caregiver and comply with the law in <br />establishing a dispensary. <br />Mr. Pio Roda said that Commissioner Rennie’s observations are being taken into account as this process is <br />considered. Ultimately, he said, we have to find a way to determine that all the standards have been met, and <br />part of the process would be ensuring the dispensary operator can demonstrate meeting those standards. One <br />aspect of that is likely to be evaluating the effectiveness of the applicant’s document -management system and <br />his/her use of technology to back up his/her claims. Noting that the success of this land use as envisioned will <br />depend heavily on a sustained commitment of City resources to monitor, audit and track the use to ensure <br />ongoing compliance, Commissioner Rennie asked whether the City would commit those resources. Mr. Pio <br />Roda said the City Manager’s intention is to do the best they can, including assessing what those costs would <br />be, establishing a commensurate permit fee and imposing an additional tax on dispensary operators. <br />Commissioner Leung posed two questions: <br />1) Because the dispensary cannot profit from the sale or distribution of medical marijuana, can it identify <br />itself as a nonprofit organization? Mr. Pio Roda said the State law and the City ordinance require the <br />dispensary to operate as a legal nonprofit business, whether a 501(3)(c) or other designation under the <br />IRS code. <br />2) Regarding the control of the marijuana flow, can the City set a limit on the number of members and the <br />dosage of marijuana? Mr. Pio Roda said the City Council did not limit the size of the cooperative or <br />collective or restrict membership to San Leandro residents. Planner Barros said the ordinance <br />establishes a daily per-patient limit, but doesn’t address the total volume of marijuana the dispensary <br />could sell on any given day. <br />Commissioner Leichner noted that the Zoning Code could be used to limit the size of the dispensary in terms <br />of square footage, which would indirectly address the number of patients who could be served. <br />In response to further questions from Commissioner Hernandez, Planner Barros said a valid dispensary permit <br />would apply to one location only, and approval of a dispensary’s CUP would be up to the BZA. <br />When Commissioner Leichner asked whether live-work Zoning Code amendments proposed at the January <br />30, 2014 work session would conflict with any parcels identified as eligible for medical marijuana dispensary