CA: DHS Cultivators Given OK To Manufacture Marijuana As Well

Katelyn Baker

Well-Known Member
Medical marijuana cultivators in Desert Hot Springs may soon be able to conduct manufacturing activities as well.

After virtually no discussion Tuesday, the city council unanimously voted to advance an ordinance which would allow already permitted cultivators to apply for an amendment to their existing conditional use permit in order to manufacture in the same facility.

The ordinance will come up again at a future meeting for a second reading and final vote.

City Attorney Jennifer Mizrahi joked the medical marijuana zoning section of city code was a living document, and would likely never stop needing to be amended.

She said the ordinance came about because when some cultivators applied for their initial permits, manufacturing was not yet allowed by the city. Now, they want to add these additional capabilities to their business, which would previously have required going through the entire permit process again.

"I have a funny feeling there will be more cleanup measures coming down the pipe," Mizrahi said, but added she felt this would be a good stopgap measure.

A cultivator is eligible to apply if the proposed manufacturing activities would not require an expansion or major modification of their facilities or changes to parking and hours of operation.

Cultivation is defined by city code as the planting, growing, harvesting, drying and curing of marijuana. Manufacturing is defined as preparation or compounding of marijuana, either by extraction or chemical synthesis.

The applications will be reviewed and decided upon by the director of community development, a post currently filled by Charles Rangel who became interim director after the former director, Nathan Bouvet, stepped down in October, citing personal reasons.

The cannabis industry has grown more rapidly in Desert Hot Springs than in other valley cities, in part because of regulations passed by the council to make the city a relatively easy place for cannabis businesses to set up shop.

Desert Hot Springs welcomed Canndescent, the first municipally permitted cultivation facility south of San Jose, in September, and more than 30 others are in the permitting process or are have received conditional use permits and are preparing to open. Council unanimously approved yet another conditional use permit Tuesday.

The city stands to make millions in tax revenue, even if some of the facilities fail to open, and the industry could prove to be a windfall for a city which has endured financial struggles in recent years.

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News Moderator: Katelyn Baker 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: DHS Cultivators Given OK To Manufacture Marijuana As Well
Author: Corinne S. Kennedy
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Photo Credit: The Desert Sun
Website: The Desert Sun
 
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