Heads up to those with a stake in the green rush—the City is hashing out updates to the zoning code for cannabis businesses. A deep dive conducted in 2022 prompted this reevaluation, and the aim is to tweak the Planning and Development Code, Title 17, which is the rulebook for what can and can’t happen on a property. In an effort to balance business expansion and community impact, the City's planning team is on the move.
Senior Planner Kirk Skierski, in a recent brief, signaled the City's plan to "streamline business opportunities for the cannabis industry, while also ensuring there is minimal impact to the community." The city hopes to actively loop in public opinion before laying down the final law. According to the Sacramento City Express, the proposed changes include nixing the need for conditional use permits, potentially lighting up more areas for storefront dispensaries, and redefining the zones where the cannabis trade can or cannot set up shop.
For those eager to weigh in or simply stay in the loop, a series of events are coming up. The dialogues begin with a virtual webinar on September 5 at 6 p.m., followed closely by a Planning and Design Committee workshop on September 12 at 5:30 p.m., then another chance to virtually connect on September 19 at 10:30 a.m. These events are sure to be a melting pot of ideas, concerns, and opportunities for feedback.
Details on the suggested code changes are public on the Title 17 Cannabis Amendments Project webpage. Be sure to sign up to the project email notification list if you want to continuously be informed about meetings and project updates.
