[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6661199,"mediaKeyId","2414704-16662605972b55a476a6d0251c676285","parentId",2414704,"title","Cathedral City staff recommends up to 10½-month extension of cannabis moratorium amid widespread odor complaints","audioSeconds",5536,"startMs",984051,"endMs",6520280,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2414704-16662605972b55a476a6d0251c676285&start=984&end=6520","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2414704-16662605972b55a476a6d0251c676285/thumbnail_984051.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6661199/Cathedral-City/Riverside-County/California/Cathedral-City-staff-recommends-up-to-10-month-extension-of-cannabis-moratorium-amid-widespread-odor-complaints","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6661199-80af5e8737a5f8feded880293c20a57e/orig.mp4?Expires=1770523967&Signature=jhPr2BRbu75XuGZIwuvoznxbxpscu4n-Uymfr2iIuFnapGfsGdywUYD~W58Hg156Jx-iQIiE5T5hoFakBCfDa40icWVPJnFUjKrUrf0BPoHlvC0HyIRvrCQPGJYuuswCj~bxFc~ZioMWval2vB8Ajb24OkgUL8gOZdGXX7F~xZLwTs47z0T4Q9rrpWIXXkWb-5wFBYQPzUa6OP4eQeKOYXchLWZbWa5VU~yq8~7JXnkyOWUY8x0VZ5kP-09W0BcVBnmHHy~-YL7ixeQAClKBycWIpyx95jTeNB104mYLkCH-qQlk0-sj3a-PiPGSgeFK3g9l6xrchnJ3bYnbC2x5Zw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of Cathedral, CA","date","2025-02-27T04:19:26.513Z","article","City staff recommended that the City Council extend a temporary moratorium on new cannabis licenses, conditional use permits and building permits for cannabis business build-outs for up to 10 months and 15 days so the city can study odor-control standards and enforcement options.

The recommendation followed a staff presentation from Andy Firestein, Cathedral City’s Community and Economic Development Director, that reviewed the city’s current cannabis regulations, a spike in odor complaints and proposed next steps including an odor-control plan requirement and changes to zoning where cultivation and manufacturing are allowed.

Staff said the city currently has 64 cannabis businesses with 105 licenses, 47 operating sites and 17 nonoperating businesses. Firestein told the council the city received 38 cannabis odor complaints in the first three months of 2024 and 904 complaints across the following nine months, including 220 in November and 501 in December, with many complaints concentrated near Deep Palm Drive and Ramon Road. He said the city has increased inspections, patrols, and coordination with other valley enforcement staff and with state and county agencies but that nuisance odors persist.

Firestein described the regulatory gap the city faces: licensing rules sit in Title 5 of the Cathedral City Municipal Code, while zoning (Title 9) and nuisance enforcement (Title 13) have not been updated since they were initially adopted as Ordinances 800, 801 and 802. He said Title 9 includes a standard condition of approval that requires exhaust filtration systems and a “no-odor” expectation, while Title 13 defines a public nuisance when cannabis odors are “offensive to individuals of normal sensitivity” and creates a presumption of nuisance after three complaints in one month. Firestein said the city lacks an odor-control permit, standardized engineering review of proposed mitigation systems, and enforceable maintenance requirements for filters and other mitigation.

Residents and property owners, many from Outdoor Resort Palm Springs and nearby mobile-home communities, urged the council to take immediate action. Speakers described persistent nighttime odors they said interfered with sleep and outdoor life, reported eye and respiratory irritation and asserted property values had fallen. Several speakers called for an immediate shutdown of the largest nearby cultivation facility (identified in public comment as Cat City Cannabis or “C4”) until odor controls succeed; others urged the city to use its existing nuisance code to enforce compliance now rather than wait for a code update.

David Bernard, identified as COO of C4, told the council the company had pursued mitigation steps including a fogging system that is now used intermittently and that C4 was committed to finding solutions. Bernard said the company wanted clear guidance from the city and that a 10-month moratorium could be a long time to wait for direction.

Firestein told the council staff’s draft approach would include: (1) requiring an odor-control plan submitted as part of conditional-use and licensing processes, prepared or certified by a California-licensed engineer; (2) updating Title 9 (zoning) to remove cultivation and manufacturing as conditional uses in the city’s most common PCC (planned community commercial) zone and to reevaluate separation requirements, including resort-residential protections; and (3) aligning Title 13 nuisance standards and enforcement remedies with practical, enforceable measures and objectively defined thresholds where possible. He recommended staff return with draft ordinance language to the cannabis task force and planning commission for public hearings.

The presentation also reported the city’s coordination with the Riverside County Department of Environmental Health and the South Coast Air Quality Management District; Firestein said both agencies had inspected a large cultivation site and had not identified a public-health threat and that the emissions were properly categorized as nuisance odors under the municipal code.

Staff told the council extending the moratorium beyond the initial 45 days adopted Jan. 22 would require a four-fifths council vote; the ordinance title was read into the record later in the meeting. The transcript of this meeting records the public hearing, many public comments and councilmembers’ support for taking the time to update regulations, but does not record a final council vote on the moratorium extension in the supplied portion of the transcript.

Next steps outlined on the record included: continued proactive odor patrols and inspections, weekly updates by staff to residents who filed complaints, further research into best practices for odor mitigation (including technology and monitoring), and development of draft ordinance language to return to the planning commission and council before any longer-term regulatory changes take effect.

Votes at a glance for items recorded elsewhere on the agenda: the council approved unrelated consent items and awarded professional agreements later in the meeting; those votes are reported separately in the related articles.

Local residents and council members stressed urgency. Mayor Pro Tem Gregory said the council “inherited” the situation and supported the moratorium extension to prevent more facilities from opening while the city reworks its code. Multiple residents urged immediate shutdowns of noncompliant operations; some asked for tighter fines, real-time monitoring technology and stricter spacing from resort-residential zones.

Staff emphasized that the planning-phase work includes identifying objective odor thresholds and best practices from other jurisdictions with large indoor cultivation presences, and assessing technology such as continuous monitoring and carbon-scrubber or other filtration systems.

The City Council opened the public hearing and received dozens of comments from residents, property owners and an operator representative. The transcript supplied does not show a recorded final vote to adopt the extension ordinance; staff recommended the extension and described the draft ordinance language and process that would follow if council confirms the measure.

","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City Council - Regular Meeting - February 26, 2025 5:30 PM","oneSentenceSummary","City staff recommended that the City Council extend a temporary moratorium on new cannabis licenses, conditional use permits and building permits for cannabis business build-outs for up to 10 months and 15 days so the city can study odor-control standards and enforcement options.","taxTitle","Cathedral City, Riverside County, California","taxId",5539,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6661189,"City awards $482,000 pavement-rehabilitation contract for Dream Homes area and East Palm Canyon Drive",670,9388080,10059020,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2414704-16662605972b55a476a6d0251c676285&start=9388&end=10059","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2414704-16662605972b55a476a6d0251c676285/thumbnail_9388080.jpg","/articles/6661189/Cathedral-City/Riverside-County/California/City-awards-482000-pavement-rehabilitation-contract-for-Dream-Homes-area-and-East-Palm-Canyon-Drive","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6661189-5b224ce36427c9c0e5ff812d0ef06a4b/orig.mp4?Expires=1770523967&Signature=Q7taoChw8aSEuR8nO6DxEs2Yi9zUwrf6Aukg7c0bqPITqi9XEyM2bJOjwAFhDVawhDfevRVpq7mpyj~lpAM4BY~-gNld8BzHFVfp5HV6LlBnTG1C0ibT3yp3bPYDwPTQNDYS1t8IJaodZLZ22QOFzBgTgXfRWVT2lF~UcygDQ5L-T3Ed8tDe10i7e~b8-JmnbVpT68ebsY5QBjTSquGlhRvfsQgd9tR92MaLFwZmwq8yXb74OOj-bK7w7jVmTgVswuAr19CyaEs4MLxbhTCMtwusmVd-f48X3-IPbtnFr3oCkR9CboZ-0Hxhoc3RRgNXLzLo9W5fR7N7rzYhf4AB4g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The City Council approved a construction contract with Vance Corporation for pavement rehabilitation work in the Dream Homes neighborhood area and a segment of East Palm Canyon Drive.

Public Works staff said the project combines three neighborhood roadway segments that serve entrances to the future Esperanza Park (Mia Place, Chia Place and San Diego Drive) and an intersection reconstruction at Laguna Court and Mission Court to address flooding. The package also includes rehabilitation of East Palm Canyon Drive between Canyon Plaza and El Dorado. Staff said those segments were selected after pavement-management analysis and visual inspections.

Bids were opened Feb. 6; the city received eight proposals and Vance Corporation submitted the lowest responsive, responsible bid. The bid amount recorded on the staff report was $481,886 (reported in the meeting as approximately $482,000). Staff recommended a 20% construction contingency of $96,373.72 and a total project budget of $578,210. Funding comes from assessment district funds for the Dream Homes area segments and from city general/MOE funds for the East Palm Canyon Drive segment.

Councilmember Gutierrez moved approval and Councilmember Lamb seconded. The council voted unanimously (all ayes) to award the contract and authorize execution and issuance of a notice to proceed.

Staff described this work as part of the city’s pavement-management program and the broader goal of improving the citywide pavement condition index.

","Council awarded a construction contract to Vance Corporation to rehabilitate street segments in the Dream Homes neighborhood and a section of East Palm Canyon Drive; the total project budget including a 20% contingency is $578,210.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6661194,"Cathedral City awards CWSRF septic-to-sewer planning agreement to Ardura for $2.18 million",642,8727440,9370290,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2414704-16662605972b55a476a6d0251c676285&start=8727&end=9370","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2414704-16662605972b55a476a6d0251c676285/thumbnail_8727440.jpg","/articles/6661194/Cathedral-City/Riverside-County/California/Cathedral-City-awards-CWSRF-septic-to-sewer-planning-agreement-to-Ardura-for-218-million","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6661194-97e8dfec71d33953a6dc0494eab5868e/orig.mp4?Expires=1770523967&Signature=n2805OZT16bSmApunV7eLuVDdAvUV7Or46twFui~edik5J8S8seZWd9fjYlig1TKx2eG5SOT--qJSbNPSE56RvDp~MUOwwWiXp6Ym~Y72G-EVafYHLprwrJAab7DxllavBUbr2Sbk5Jqiw84Esc6tPbNRk33wg5nolAaH1JwqEdvql1zBN1bwNLU5WhWcjnXiQ3AnXZKu0abaAaEhctXOpoLpUegU1dklZ4yRzICGT0zRsWkVmnFehK-ofXqXCwVnzy4bBwGGqe-qgqzpW6cUlTmhcX6GTSWyf6vvIt8vQVEFT~hSYaqKJyocTHIRRSGYx8TovMLGc~ScbyatphyKA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The City Council approved a professional services agreement with Ardura Group to complete planning necessary to convert six remaining unsewered residential areas to sewer service, using a Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) planning grant.

Staff said Cathedral City received a $2,400,000 planning grant from the California State Water Resources Control Board’s CWSRF program to prepare the preliminary engineering report, environmental review and construction funding applications that local sewer agencies will use to bid and build the work. City staff told the council the grant was awarded to address contamination risks from failing septic systems and that the city’s remaining unsewered areas include five neighborhoods served by Coachella Valley Water District and one area served by Desert Water Agency.

Elizabeth (last name not specified in transcript), a city staff presenter, explained that Ardura submitted the most qualified proposal and that Ardura’s cost proposal, together with a 10.44% contingency, fits within the remaining grant balance. Staff asked the council to authorize the city manager to execute the agreement and related documents.

Councilmember Gregory moved approval with a second from Councilmember Gutierrez. The council voted unanimously (all ayes) to award the agreement and authorize execution of the contract documents as recommended.

Key contract and grant figures presented on the record:
- CWSRF planning grant awarded: $2,400,000 (planning grant; $42,000 reimbursed for application costs).
- Remaining grant balance for planning work: approximately $2,432,000.
- Ardura Group professional services agreement: $2,178,017.56.
- Recommended contingency: 10.44% ($253,972.44).
- Total planning budget including contingency: $2,431,990.

Staff noted the grant requires all planning work be completed by June 30, 2027, and that coordination with the two sewer agencies (Coachella Valley Water District and Desert Water Agency) is required because those agencies will be the construction leads for the actual septic-to-sewer connections.

The council’s action authorizes the city to complete grant-funded planning tasks and to submit the construction-phase applications to the State Water Board; the construction-phase projects will be implemented by the water agencies once planning and funding applications are complete.

","Council approved a professional services agreement to perform planning required by the Clean Water State Revolving Fund for conversion of six unsewered residential areas; project planning will be funded by a $2.4 million CWSRF planning grant.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Cathedral City staff recommends up to 10½-month extension of cannabis moratorium amid widespread odor complaints

City awards $482,000 pavement-rehabilitation contract for Dream Homes area and East Palm Canyon Drive

Cathedral City awards CWSRF septic-to-sewer planning agreement to Ardura for $2.18 million