A 3-2 vote by the City Council brings Susanville another step closer to welcoming the cannabis industry within city limits. Both Mayor Schuster and Mayor Pro Tem Brian Moore voted against the reccomendations to create an ordinance allowing cannabis business on one common issue that three city council members potentially with the coming election may not be seated on the council when the ordinance would be finialized.
The Ad Hoc committee formed in June of last year presented to the council its findings and recommendations in a report that each member contributed to including the City Administer, City Code Enforcement, and both police and fire chiefs. The full report will be released today for you to view yourself on both the City’s website and facebook page. Both Police Cheif Cochran and Fire Cheif Moore found based on discussions with other departments and their own research into the industry that there would be no significant impacts to the community. Specifically Fire Cheif Moore stated that these facilities operate to the highest of standards and follow all code effectively and willingly, and Police Chief Cochran reported he feels there would be no significant increase in crimes. Four types of industry would be allowed within various zones throughout the city to include industrial zones, limited to Sierra street and Richmond road, as well as along Monrovia and Cypress streets. Store fronts for dispensaries would be allowed in the uptown commercial district. Other commercial zones for ditribution centers would include a few locations along Ash and Main street. There are state standards that present limitations with setbacks and distance from schools and public parks, and the city also recommended that only three dispenaries would be allowed to be permitted.
The next steps of the City Council will be to create the ordinance and present it in a public hearing, and giving a nod to the iconic established “weed day” of 4/20, that hearing will be held on April 20th.
