Ron Strider
Well-Known Member
At the head of what is expected to be a very long green line, Big Sur Cannabotanicals is set to become the first business in unincorporated Monterey County to have its bid for a commercial medical marijuana use permit considered by the county Planning Commission under the county's regulations approved last summer.
On Wednesday, the commission is poised to consider Big Sur Cannabotanicals' use permit application to, technically, continue to operate a medical cannabis dispensary in the Carmel Rancho Shopping Center. The meeting is set at 9 a.m. at the County Government Center in Salinas.
Led by co-owners Aram Stoney and John DeFloria, the business has been operating as a home delivery service in the Carmel Valley since its incorporation in 2014 under the state's Compassionate Use Act, and moved to the Carmel Rancho Shopping Center a year ago. The use permit bid calls for opening a storefront downstairs from its current offices, and would be open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. seven days a week.
According to Big Sur Cannabotanicals attorney Jennifer Rosenthal, it's no accident Stoney and DeFloria are first in line ahead of scores of other current and proposed medical cannabis operations ranging from greenhouse cultivation to manufacturing and dispensaries seeking use permits for the county's unincorporated area. Rosenthal said his clients showed up at the County Government Center at 7:30 a.m. Dec. 7, the first day pre-development applications were accepted, to try to be at the head of the cannabis class.
"They worked extremely hard to be first," Rosenthal said. "It shows how dedicated they are. It's very exciting."
As part of its application, Big Sur Cannabotanicals was required to submit detailed security and operations plans describing everything from security protocols including 24-hour onsite security provided by a contracted service to contact information for nuisance complaints. Also included was locked safe rooms with limited access, video surveillance and provisions for mini-safes in all transport vehicles. Operational details such as patient verifications, youth restrictions procedures (with Carmel Middle School relatively nearby), product safety and packaging, supply chain information and record-keeping policies including seed-to-sale "track and trace" programs designed to ensure products remain in the regulated market and aren't illegally diverted, odor prevention measures using an HVAC system, and a prohibition against on-site product usage were also submitted.
Meanwhile, another medical cannabis business is pursuing a use permit to open a dispensary in the same shopping center, and also submitted its application Dec. 7, albeit after its prospective neighbor. That bid is still pending. If Big Sur Cannabotanicals' use permit is approved, the other bid would technically be barred by county regulations prohibiting dispensaries from operating within 150 feet of each other. However, county officials have already indicated they might consider a special variance to the setback requirement.
Even if it wins approval, Big Sur Cannabotanicals would still need to obtain a commercial permit and a business license from the county, and a state license when those are available, likely next year. In the meantime, the business would continue operating while pursuing the additional approvals, as are many other such businesses in the unincorporated county.
A total of 80 applications for medical cannabis operations representing potentially millions of square feet of marijuana grows have been received, according to county Resource Management Agency official John Guertin. There's no way to know how long it will take to process all of them, Guertin said, adding he expects to see "several" use permit bids make it to the Planning Commission by this summer. The county's rules don't set a limit on the number of use permits that can be issued, relying instead on available grow sites inside available greenhouse space and zoning as controlling factors
News Moderator: Ron Strider 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Big Sur Cannabotanicals first in line for county medical cannabis permit
Author: Jim Johnson
Contact: Contact Us
Photo Credit: Brian A Pounds
Website: Monterey County Herald: Breaking News, Sports, Business, Entertainment & Monterey News
On Wednesday, the commission is poised to consider Big Sur Cannabotanicals' use permit application to, technically, continue to operate a medical cannabis dispensary in the Carmel Rancho Shopping Center. The meeting is set at 9 a.m. at the County Government Center in Salinas.
Led by co-owners Aram Stoney and John DeFloria, the business has been operating as a home delivery service in the Carmel Valley since its incorporation in 2014 under the state's Compassionate Use Act, and moved to the Carmel Rancho Shopping Center a year ago. The use permit bid calls for opening a storefront downstairs from its current offices, and would be open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. seven days a week.
According to Big Sur Cannabotanicals attorney Jennifer Rosenthal, it's no accident Stoney and DeFloria are first in line ahead of scores of other current and proposed medical cannabis operations ranging from greenhouse cultivation to manufacturing and dispensaries seeking use permits for the county's unincorporated area. Rosenthal said his clients showed up at the County Government Center at 7:30 a.m. Dec. 7, the first day pre-development applications were accepted, to try to be at the head of the cannabis class.
"They worked extremely hard to be first," Rosenthal said. "It shows how dedicated they are. It's very exciting."
As part of its application, Big Sur Cannabotanicals was required to submit detailed security and operations plans describing everything from security protocols including 24-hour onsite security provided by a contracted service to contact information for nuisance complaints. Also included was locked safe rooms with limited access, video surveillance and provisions for mini-safes in all transport vehicles. Operational details such as patient verifications, youth restrictions procedures (with Carmel Middle School relatively nearby), product safety and packaging, supply chain information and record-keeping policies including seed-to-sale "track and trace" programs designed to ensure products remain in the regulated market and aren't illegally diverted, odor prevention measures using an HVAC system, and a prohibition against on-site product usage were also submitted.
Meanwhile, another medical cannabis business is pursuing a use permit to open a dispensary in the same shopping center, and also submitted its application Dec. 7, albeit after its prospective neighbor. That bid is still pending. If Big Sur Cannabotanicals' use permit is approved, the other bid would technically be barred by county regulations prohibiting dispensaries from operating within 150 feet of each other. However, county officials have already indicated they might consider a special variance to the setback requirement.
Even if it wins approval, Big Sur Cannabotanicals would still need to obtain a commercial permit and a business license from the county, and a state license when those are available, likely next year. In the meantime, the business would continue operating while pursuing the additional approvals, as are many other such businesses in the unincorporated county.
A total of 80 applications for medical cannabis operations representing potentially millions of square feet of marijuana grows have been received, according to county Resource Management Agency official John Guertin. There's no way to know how long it will take to process all of them, Guertin said, adding he expects to see "several" use permit bids make it to the Planning Commission by this summer. The county's rules don't set a limit on the number of use permits that can be issued, relying instead on available grow sites inside available greenhouse space and zoning as controlling factors
News Moderator: Ron Strider 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Big Sur Cannabotanicals first in line for county medical cannabis permit
Author: Jim Johnson
Contact: Contact Us
Photo Credit: Brian A Pounds
Website: Monterey County Herald: Breaking News, Sports, Business, Entertainment & Monterey News
