MENDOCINO Co., 6/11/18 — The Mendocino County Board of Supervisors will be holding an special, all-day meeting, focused on cannabis regulations Tuesday, June 12. The day long session was planned to devote more time to addressing a range of outstanding issues and potential changes to Mendocino’s current cannabis farming ordinance and cannabis business regulations.
The session will include several presentations, including one, at 9 a.m., by the consultant who is working on the county’s proposed “overlay districts,” which would allow different neighborhoods to “opt in” or “opt out” of the current regulations. The agenda will also include an update on the county’s cultivation program from cannabis program manager Kelly Overton and the possible approve an amendment which would allow cultivation applicants to delay their application by one year. The full agenda and related documents are available on the county’s legislative calendar, and the more information about the overlays are in the press release below.
The public is invited to submit comment in writing, or in person during the meeting. You can also attend in person in the Board Chambers from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. at 501 Low Gap Road in Ukiah, and submit public comment by emailing [email protected]. You also can watch the proceedings live on the county’s Youtube page.
Here’s the press release from the county concerning the overlay districts:
The Mendocino County Board of Supervisors contracted with Michael Baker International to prepare amendments to the County’s current cannabis regulations to establish two types of overlay zones: areas with modified cannabis cultivation regulations to allow for operators to enjoy more flexible cannabis regulations and development standards (Opt-In Zones), and areas where new commercial cannabis cultivation would be prohibited and existing permitted commercial cultivation would sunset (Opt-Out Zones). The Board also asked Michael Baker to identify specific exceptions to the current cannabis cultivation regulations that promote increased participation in the County’s current cannabis permitting process (Exceptions).
A public discussion will be held with the Board of Supervisors at its meeting on June 12, 2018. The meeting will be held at 9:00 a.m. in the Board Chambers, 501 Low Gap Road, Room 1070, Ukiah. The public discussion will include a presentation by Michael Baker that will outline a draft frameworks for proposed changes to the Mendocino County Code that would allow for the incorporation of the Exceptions components, and the creation of the Opt-In and Opt-Out zoning overlays. Following the public discussion with the Board of Supervisors, members of the public will have the opportunity to provide additional input and feedback. On dates to be determined, draft ordinances that reflect the input of members of the Cannabis Overlay Working Group, the public, and the Board of Supervisors, will be presented at public hearings to the Planning Commission and the Board of Supervisors for consideration and adoption.
The proposed frameworks are available for public review at www.mendocinocounty.org/