[{"_1":2,"_98":-5,"_99":-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",[32,74,86],{"_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":56,"_73":56},"mediaId",6529678,"mediaKeyId","3787474-32d50263f8bab317853970225decdaa8","parentId",3787474,"title","Board adopts pilot program allowing retail cannabis sales at farms and limited consumption lounges with new safeguards","audioSeconds",5645,"startMs",770000,"endMs",6415000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3787474-32d50263f8bab317853970225decdaa8&start=770&end=6415","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3787474-32d50263f8bab317853970225decdaa8/thumbnail_770000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6529678/Santa-Cruz-County/California/Board-adopts-pilot-program-allowing-retail-cannabis-sales-at-farms-and-limited-consumption-lounges-with-new-safeguards","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6529678-c929414dd44a9e2925f7157916719d8a/orig.mp4?Expires=1771167804&Signature=lk-c-MJjMR5Rqc8F440CGswFfIikqxKqT48nIn2yP63UzG99Q67USOQwhooofIH9YlwkdIe23W9DrRXJLq4zPwoYiYdMYlSW9CAIzCmKcUZENMUavyY7YvaoVpf0zKfVrIAgUiVnBKEE0~vCqLwiTjce5EW74db~rhB6QbkRkZ56y2ivmjwsrvFAGUUveKcxk1SMTIaLwAtsp8iRz3CFCkSiYhTOouJl2Q5NVXVWsjr4TRg0faa6vIBY-DeENrapKuBeNhds0eH5VAJ30oCsHTkhLQxG3xaOPe4RnTWYIbcbdR3oJzQ-VYe4C1ETMzCxVnYvixI4jJKLUa28CFeGAw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","","date","2025-06-13T00:31:02.837Z","article","Santa Cruz County supervisors approved a three‑year pilot program authorizing retail cannabis sales at qualifying farm sites and moving forward with a framework to permit regulated on‑site consumption in licensed cannabis lounges, with conditions aimed at reducing public safety risks.

The Board voted to advance the ordinance after extended public comment and internal debate on how to balance support for the local cannabis economy with concerns about impaired driving, youth exposure and public health. The final actions include requiring reservation systems for certain farm sales, directing the Cannabis Licensing Office to develop enforceable policies that could include license suspension or revocation if on‑site consumption is found to lead to impaired‑driving harm, and asking county staff to seek funding for a server‑training curriculum.

Public comment was mixed: dozens of growers, retailers and tourism proponents said regulated on‑site consumption and farm retail would help a struggling local industry, support small growers and create tourism opportunities. Local public safety, health and school officials — and several supervisors — urged caution, citing concerns about impaired driving on rural roads and youth exposure. The County Highway Patrol told supervisors that testing for cannabis impairment presents enforcement challenges compared with alcohol.

Key provisions adopted: the county amended code chapters to allow farm retail sales under Chapter 13.10 provisions and to create a new 7.138 business license category for cannabis farm retail. The board directed the Cannabis Licensing Office to require applicants to describe safety plans, including measures to prevent drivers from consuming on site, allow public notification and appeal for conditional approvals, and to require monitoring/auditable controls for consumption areas.

Votes and directions: the board approved the ordinance and related zoning code amendments with an alternate motion that struck a county‑specific one‑ounce daily cap and instead left the statutory state limit in place while also directing a reservation requirement. That measure passed on a 3‑2 vote (Supervisors Koenig, Cummings and Chair Hernandez in favor; Supervisors DeCerpa and Martinez opposed.) The board also voted unanimously to direct staff to return with proposed language allowing license suspensions or revocations where on‑site consumption led to driving‑related harm. Separately the board unanimously directed staff to pursue funding sources and partnerships to develop a server/educational curriculum to reduce over‑serving and improve consumer safety.

County staff said the pilot will include a public notice and administrative review process and that applications would be subject to site‑level reviews before receiving final licenses. The Cannabis Licensing Office will return to the board with specific licensing language and enforcement options before the pilot is implemented, as requested by supervisors.

Supporters of the pilot said it helps small local farmers and offers an educational space for consumers; opponents said the county’s rural roads and lack of reliable roadside impairment testing make lounges risky. The board’s adopted safeguards aim to limit those risks and to give the county greater ability to revoke licenses if public harms occur while the pilot is in effect.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","SC BoS 03 25 25","oneSentenceSummary","The Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors approved a three‑year pilot program to allow retail cannabis sales at qualifying farm sites and to permit regulated on‑site consumption in licensed lounges, while directing staff to craft enforcement and education measures to limit safety risks.","taxTitle","Santa Cruz County, California","taxId",4172,"location","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":75,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":76,"_41":77,"_43":78,"_45":79,"_47":80,"_49":81,"_51":82,"_53":83,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":84,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":85,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},6529683,"Hundreds of veterans urge board to reinstate county veteran service officer; supervisors ask HR for review",4634,1638000,6272000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3787474-32d50263f8bab317853970225decdaa8&start=1638&end=6272","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3787474-32d50263f8bab317853970225decdaa8/thumbnail_1638000.jpg","/articles/6529683/Santa-Cruz-County/California/Hundreds-of-veterans-urge-board-to-reinstate-county-veteran-service-officer-supervisors-ask-HR-for-review","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6529683-95a05c1031c02c5fb6d5b82b6e7de700/orig.mp4?Expires=1771167804&Signature=YRDwp7w2592tPGuxg7EhjXB~3a~Jp~Ago4TctHR9panh6WaXNSLXHqfjLLIMDl7McVNB4PuzYlq6WV-9uMnixY4oaH8cPCq8dq3JdmpzXg0zaK92Axcu2vQGcn~Ik0UZZqLKlN2-A2jMNuniUmw7W7Qy520fSkA24mAaA5N~UL5t4ijak0gI-YpGxPsyihq94MDgGpvn6r0OgAvGqfJdBOxCIAt6HaDO2RhZaviEgfIFOKS74ERTicB6Yap4tRlxanikltBane0zk32DqFbop1aQk1XYOso6JG5u3S8IcDUaQSEMEJDz4Z~-3R3XEwITTDRsDlYSlTjwcQUtW-ZOKQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Dozens of veterans and veterans’ advocates filled the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors chambers to demand reinstatement of Xavier Bianchi, the county’s former Veterans Service Officer, after he was removed from the role earlier this year.

Speakers at the March 25 meeting called Bianchi “a pillar in our veteran community,” described him as an effective advocate for veterans’ benefits, and urged the board to reinstate him. Several speakers, including staff and volunteers from veterans organizations, said they had personal experience with the office’s work and with Bianchi’s efforts to connect veterans with services.

The speakers included veterans and community members who described repeated attempts to work with county staff on veteran cases and praised Bianchi’s responsiveness. “Xavier goes above and beyond,” said multiple speakers, including Robert Shippen, a former army medic, and Dean Kaufman, a long‑time veterans service provider. Bianchi also spoke briefly in the chambers, saying the issue was “not about my pride, my anger, or loss of a job. This is what I do. I serve veterans in this community, and I gladly do it for free.”

The Board did not take a formal vote or action on personnel during the public hearing — county staff and supervisors said that personnel matters are confidential and cannot be discussed in open session. A Human Resources representative explained that confidentiality prevents a full public accounting of the reasons for an employee’s removal. Human Services Director Randy Morris — who oversees the department that now houses veteran services — then addressed the board and explained that most California counties embed veterans services in human services for administrative support, but that whether the Veterans Service Office is a standalone department or part of Human Services is ultimately a board decision.

Supervisor John Cummings, who represents parts of Watsonville and other South County communities, asked for follow‑up and invited departmental leaders to meet with veterans and the board to discuss possible options. Several supervisors thanked the veterans for turning out and urged HR and department leadership to report back with additional context. No supervisor motioned to reinstate Bianchi on the floor; multiple supervisors said they were sympathetic and wanted more information before making a personnel decision.

Community groups that spoke included the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Disabled American Veterans, and the Veterans Surf Alliance, among others. Several speakers also requested that the board consider restoring the Veterans Service Office to a standalone department or providing additional administrative support, arguing that veterans’ needs require specialized, veteran‑centered operations.

The board agreed to follow up. HR staff reiterated that they cannot disclose personnel details in open session but said they would respond to board inquiries and that the Human Services director, Randy Morris, would be a point of contact for operational questions. The supervisors asked staff to return with options for how the Veteran Services Office is structured and what additional administrative support would look like.

The matter remains under review; no public vote or administrative reinstatement occurred at the meeting.","Dozens of veterans and veterans’ advocates filled the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors chambers to demand reinstatement of Xavier Bianchi, the county’s former Veterans Service Officer, after he was removed from the role earlier this year.",{"_33":87,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":88,"_41":89,"_43":90,"_45":91,"_47":92,"_49":93,"_51":94,"_53":95,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":96,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":97,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},6529674,"Consultants and supervisors press for faster permit review; county adopts new prioritization tool for storm repairs",6648,1872000,8520000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3787474-32d50263f8bab317853970225decdaa8&start=1872&end=8520","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3787474-32d50263f8bab317853970225decdaa8/thumbnail_1872000.jpg","/articles/6529674/Santa-Cruz-County/California/Consultants-and-supervisors-press-for-faster-permit-review-county-adopts-new-prioritization-tool-for-storm-repairs","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6529674-84d80848d8fb927b76935d4fab937004/orig.mp4?Expires=1771167804&Signature=VP~5O2BjZTnKzTBk5N~vXDRaH~v4Id8TtdOQvfh8kYNFvHgxXqSOjAf0QIqaS1VGQuRk4AjHzetox3IKpFpn2pRP~nkhQPn6FTwQgBFWSt4fej~fKyLtop3SLnqFEi7dah6~8wpHZAMkXSLK7vL8jKLoHsmexutCAEpnbh1tdx24pOp6fz4BiWndy0Qh5iAol7T-R8Isxb8OOEB-1v5FdAY7hBmapG6etY5zd-qcF3glsi02yuiQLIQLVIPVH-20JfnHLe~2yQu3q3UwmMFirDOojNmfGOJPf8zhCGKaD5BAPq6a3qcc-ywor-QRsHmeLhhQseLpOcDPXQh3PnALQw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Santa Cruz County supervisors adopted staff recommendations informed by an independent organizational assessment and directed immediate steps aimed at speeding building permit processing, clarifying roles and establishing clearer customer service standards.

Baker Tilly, the consulting firm hired to review Community Development and Infrastructure (CDI) operations, presented findings after a series of staff interviews, stakeholder meetings and an employee survey. The consultants found a mix of positive reforms already in place and persistent problems: inconsistent plan‑review comments, uneven staffing and training, and the need for clearer administrative procedures and customer metrics.

Key consultant recommendations included developing a stronger pre‑application process, updating administrative policies and standard operating procedures, improving technology integration and expanding training. The firm highlighted the central role that permit technicians play in the customer experience and recommended adding staff, improving measurable metrics and piloting a “one bite at the apple” review approach to reduce rounds of review.

After discussion, Supervisor John Koenig moved a package of implementation steps — including immediate modest walk‑in hours at the permit counter, a request that staff return to the board with a supplemental budget request to add a building permit technician, a directive to reduce sequential reviews where possible and to develop a work plan for a multi‑year program of improvements. The board approved the package; the vote was 4–1 with Supervisor John Cummings opposed. Cummings said he supported improvements but wanted more detail on feasibility before committing to the set of directives.

In related business, supervisors accepted a newly created Emergency Road Damage Assessment tool designed to help allocate limited resources for road repairs from the county’s multiple disaster events. The GIS‑driven tool uses six criteria — traffic volume, detour time, loss of lane, utilities/culverts affected, access/functional‑needs indicators and proximity to critical facilities — and scores damaged road segments so staff can weigh priorities transparently. County staff noted the tool does not replace project‑level engineering judgment, and that funding availability and FEMA obligations remain constraints that can alter priorities.

Board direction included a request for a detailed multi‑year work plan to implement the permitting reforms and follow‑up briefings on the CZU fire rebuild process: Supervisor Zachary Martinez added a unanimous direction to have Baker Tilly develop an integrated scope of work focused on CZU rebuild permit workflows. County staff said they would return with the work plan by June and would bring a supplemental budget recommendation for the first permit technician during the budget hearings.

The consultant’s assessment and the new prioritization dashboard aim to give the board and the public clearer, data‑backed justifications for spending and staffing choices as the county manages the backlog of storm damage and seeks to accelerate housing and other development projects.","After a Baker Tilly assessment, the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors directed immediate changes to building‑permit intake and review procedures and accepted a new GIS tool to prioritize emergency road repairs from multiple storms and atmospheric river events.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Board adopts pilot program allowing retail cannabis sales at farms and limited consumption lounges with new safeguards

Hundreds of veterans urge board to reinstate county veteran service officer; supervisors ask HR for review

Consultants and supervisors press for faster permit review; county adopts new prioritization tool for storm repairs