Sonoma County Cannabis Land Use Ordinance Update and General Plan Amendment

Sonoma County Cannabis Land Use Ordinance Update and General Plan Amendment

The County of Sonoma is proposing to adopt amendments to the County Code, Chapter 26 and new Chapter 38, to allow expanded ministerial permitting for commercial cannabis cultivation in agricultural and resource zoned areas. The County of Sonoma also proposes a general plan amendment to include cannabis within the meaning of agriculture. The proposed new Chapter 38 expands ministerial permitting of commercial cannabis cultivation in agricultural and resource zoned areas of the unincorporated county, outside of the coastal zone, sets objective standards for issuance of ministerial permits in those zones to protect public health, safety, and the environment and to promote neighborhood compatibility. It also clarifies and aligns ordinance definitions with state law. The proposed amendments to Chapter 26 are technical in nature. They are designed to align and harmonize with proposed Chapter 38 to avoid duplication concerning ministerial permitting. They also clarify the relationship between the two chapters regarding local land use regulation of cannabis cultivation and supply chain business activity and when a discretionary use permit is required. The ordinance changes include the removal of the prohibition on tasting, promotional activities, and events related to commercial cannabis activities.

Unincorporated Sonoma County outside the Coastal Zone

Sonoma

Countywide, Unincorporated

Other (Cannabis Land Use Ordinance Update)

General Plan Amendment, Ordinance update

Aesthetics, Agriculture and Forestry Resources, Air Quality, Biological Resources, Cumulative Effects, Drainage/Absorption, Flood Plain/Flooding, Geology/Soils, Land Use/Planning, Mineral Resources, Noise, Population/Housing, Public Services, Recreation, Schools/Universities, Sewer Capacity, Solid Waste, Vegetation, Wetland/Riparian, Wildfire, Archeological/ Historial/ Water Quality/ Water Supply/ Groundwater/ Soil Erosion/Compaction/Grading

California Air Resources Board (ARB), California Department of Conservation (DOC), California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE), California Department of Parks and Recreation, California Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR), California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery, California Department of Transportation, District 4 (DOT), California Department of Water Resources (DWR), California Highway Patrol (CHP), California Native American Heritage Commission (NAHC), California Natural Resources Agency, California Regional Water Quality Control Board, San Francisco Bay Region 2 (RWQCB), Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA), Department of Toxic Substances Control, State Water Resources Control Board, Division of Drinking Water, State Water Resources Control Board, Division of Water Quality, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Bay Delta Region 3 (CDFW)

California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Bay Delta Region 3 (CDFW)