HomeMy WebLinkAboutPublic commentDocuSign Envelope ID: B95AAFFE-BA49-4261-8AB8-DA8B8D6DE45C
Lake Elsinore City Council
Lake Elsinore City Hall
130 South Main St.
Lake Elsinore, CA 92530
Sept Jt, 2021
RE: Concerns Regarding Unlimited Dispensary Uses in Lake Elsinore
Dear Mayor Magee and Councilmembers,
We would like to thank you and city staff for all of the time and effort you have dedicated to ensure a
safe, well regulated cannabis industry for the residents of Lake Elsinore. Because of your thoughtful and
forward-looking policies, Lake Elsinore has established itself as a regional leader and has benefitted from
a great deal of investment and economic growth.
As operators within the city, our goal is to maintain the success of all current operators as well as provide
opportunities for cannabis businesses that have yet to open. Our shared success allows each of us to
generate revenue, jobs, and safe cannabis products for the city of Lake Elsinore, all while helping to
eliminate the illicit market from the region. Because of our desire for a successful local cannabis industry,
we are writing to express our concerns with the current permitting structure and its potential impact on
current and future businesses.
Chapter 17.156.040 (F) allows for "a maximum of five cannabis business permits within the M-1 zone
district and a maximum of five cannabis permits within the M-2 zone district," but this limit can be
exceeded if an applicant can demonstrate how a public convenience will be served by the issuance of
additional cannabis permits. So far the city has approved 12 applications in the M-2 and 8 in the M-1,
double the initial limit, because public convenience has been determined for each of the additional
applicants.
But it is not the amount of approved permits that is concerning, it is that each permit allows for cannabis
dispensaries as an accessory use to either manufacturing or cultivation. If all of the approved businesses
were to become operational and conduct dispensary operations, there would be approximately one
dispensary and/or distribution use for every 3,400 residents of Lake Elsinore. Even with potential
consumers from surrounding cities, this ratio is beyond sustainable and could force some current
operators to cease operations and relocate.
In order to support the vitality and continued operations of current and future cannabis businesses, we
request that any new dispensary use are permitted only if they are at least 1,000 ft. from any other
existing dispensary permit. This would help all current and new businesses succeed and contribute greatly
to the long-term health of the cannabis industry within Lake Elsinore.
Below are our suggested changes to the current ordinance that would address our concerns.
9 Change "Cannabis Distribution Facility" definition to meet the State's definition of Cannabis
"Distribution" (see below) as written in Business and Professions Code 26001.
o Business and Professions Code 26001 (r): "Distribution" means the procurement, sale,
and transport of cannabis and cannabis products between licensees.
DocuSign Envelope ID: B95AAFFE-BA49-4261-8AB8-DA8B8D6DE45C
• Allow delivery from dispensary uses rather than distribution uses to match state law.
o Change Section 17.156.050 (E) to state the following "Delivery. Delivery is allowed in
conjunction with a legal cannabis dispensary facility."
• Change Section 17.156.050 (B) to state the following:
■ "Cannabis dispensaries may only be permitted as an accessory use to a
cultivation facility or a cannabis manufacturing facility located no closer than
1,000 ft from any other existing cannabis dispensary use as measured from the
property line.
Lastly, we understand, appreciate, and fully support the City's established target for the amount of square
footage it would like to permit for cannabis uses. Even if additional dispensary and distribution uses are
limited, the city will still be able to meet its goal by continuing to permit additional cultivation,
manufacturing, and testing facilities or expansions of existing facilities.
Again, we greatly appreciate your thoughtfulness and consideration on this matter and look forward to
working with you to address our concerns so that we can continue to thrive and support the overall
wellbeing of Lake Elsinore.
Please let us know if you have any questions.
i]ocu5igned by.
aaYiVu A i.S hf
Garin Heslop
Medcare Farms
29395 Hunco Way
Lake Elsinore, CA 92530
❑ow5ipned by:
. t
Javier Montes
The Healing Tree
480 3rd St,
Lake Elsinore, CA 92530
cc: Mayor Robert Magee
Mayor Pro Tem Timothy Sheridan
Councilmember Natasha Johnson
Councilmember Steve Manos
Councilmember Brian Tisdale