The City of Sonoma is hosting two Town Hall meetings on March 28, 2018 and April 11, 2018 for members of the community to come learn more about potential cannabis regulation and cannabis business options under consideration for the City of Sonoma. The City strongly encourages the public to come learn more about the cannabis industry and regulatory options available to cities. Public input on this policy decision is important to the City Council as they make their decision regarding what regulations and what cannabis businesses to allow or prohibit in Sonoma in the next few months. Below is the information on each town hall.
- Cannabis Town Hall #1 – Wednesday, March 28, 2018, 6:30-9:00 PM
Location: Sonoma Community Center, Andrews Hall, 276 E Napa St, Sonoma CA 95476
This Town Hall will focus on background information, state regulations, overview of dispensaries, testing and manufacturing facilities; and options/issues for municipal regulation. There will be a question/answer portion, an exercise for attendees to give specific feedback, and a public comment period. - Cannabis Town Hall #2 – Wednesday, April 11, 2018, 6:30-9:00 PM
Location: Sonoma Community Center, Andrews Hall, 276 E Napa St, Sonoma CA 95476
This Town Hall will focus on answering questions from the prior Town Hall, distance requirement options and other regulatory options for specific cannabis businesses, and potential taxing, fee and other administrative issues. There will be a question/answer portion, an exercise for attendees to give specific feedback, and a public comment period.
The purpose of the Town Halls is to review and discuss potential regulations regarding Proposition 64 “The Adult Use of Marijuana Act” (AUMA). AUMA authorizes cities to “reasonably regulate” cultivation of cannabis/marijuana inside a private residence, and regulate or completely prohibit outdoor cultivation, cannabis/marijuana retailers, dispensaries, delivery services and other cannabis businesses.
The City Council is considering what types of cannabis businesses and associated regulations, if any, are suitable for Sonoma. Specifically, the City Council is seeking public input regarding whether to allow cannabis/marijuana businesses with a specific focus on medicinal dispensaries, testing facilities and manufacturing facilities. The City will hold two workshops in March/April to provide information from the public and to hear the community’s input. After the workshops in April/May, the City Council will discuss and decide what regulations and/or cannabis businesses to allow or prohibit in Sonoma.
In order to comply with the State of California’s Brown Act, which provides transparency and rules regarding public meetings, these Town Hall meetings will be agendized as City Council meetings in order to allow the City Council to attend in person and listen to feedback from the community. The City Council will not be actively participating in the meetings, since the structure for these meetings is to focus on public dialogue and no decision making will occur by the City Council until future meetings.
Each Town Hall community meeting will be taped and televised live on Sonoma Valley Community Television’s Channel 27 and also posted afterwards on the City’s Civic Web Portal and linked to from the City’s Cannabis Key Initiative page.
For a summary, current allowable activities and background of Cannabis Regulation in the City of Sonoma visit www.sonomacity.org/cannabis-regulation or Download the full press release.