Petaluma city council hones pot regulations.
November 9th, 2017
by HANNAH BEAUSANG
More than a year after California voters legalized recreational marijuana, Petaluma is poised to next week adopt a slate of policies to regulate the cannabis industry inside city limits.
The city council Monday postponed a vote on an ordinance that would allow cannabis-related manufacturing businesses and two marijuana delivery services while increasing the number of plants residents can cultivate on their properties. The new rules will be considered at a Nov. 13 workshop, and city staff will develop regulations surrounding permitting and fees for consideration at the council’s Dec. 4 meeting.
Petaluma has long taken a hard-line stance on cannabis, banning brick-and-mortar dispensaries in 2007. In 2016, the city tailored its policy to allow medical card holders to cultivate three plants and for delivery from outside of the city to medical users and caregivers.
The city was forced to revisit the issue after the November passage of Prop. 64, which legalized the sale and possession of recreational cannabis for those ages 21 and over within certain parameters but left some control in the hands of local jurisdictions. Under Prop. 64, the Adult Use of Marijuana Act, it is not yet possible to purchase marijuana without a doctor’s recommendation. The state is expected to issue licenses for recreational cannabis businesses as soon as Jan. 1.
In Petaluma, 62 percent of voters supported Prop. 64, though shaping a comprehensive marijuana policy has been far more divisive for a council that has quibbled over the issue since June.
Though five public speakers Monday urged the city to allow dispensaries, four of the seven council members were not in favor of immediately tailoring its forthcoming policy. Nearby cities, including Cotati, Santa Rosa and Sebastopol currently permit dispensaries.
Eli Melrod, who co-owns Sebastopol-based Soulful dispensary, said Petaluma customers visit his business on a daily basis and implored the city to open its doors for retail storefronts.
“Dealing with the issue on a legislative level is really complicated, and helping folks medicinally is also really complicated,” he said. “It’s a very complicated plant with a lot of different compounds and a lot of different ways to use it. For folks to get the most benefit, they really need to consult with folks who are well-versed in different compounds, effects and delivery methods.”