Santa Paula planning panel recommends ordinance to allow medicinal cannabis delivery, limits non‑storefront facilities to industrial zone

The Santa Paula Planning Commission voted unanimously to recommend that the City Council adopt an ordinance amending Chapter 16.79 of the Santa Paula Municipal Code to comply with Senate Bill 1186 and allow licensed non‑storefront medicinal cannabis delivery within the city.

The change stems from SB 1186, which bars cities from imposing rules that effectively prohibit licensed medicinal cannabis businesses from delivering to patients or caregivers. Staff told the commission the ordinance would permit retail sale by delivery of medicinal cannabis citywide while limiting non‑storefront retail facilities (delivery-only operations) to the industrial zone south of Highway 126 and subjecting them to a conditional use permit (CUP) and specified operational standards.

Why it matters: SB 1186 narrows local authority over medicinal delivery; failure to align local code could expose the city to fines or litigation, staff said. The ordinance also establishes local controls intended to address public‑safety and nuisance concerns while complying with state law.

Key provisions and discussion

- Zoning and permits: Non‑storefront (delivery‑only) medicinal cannabis retailers would be permitted only in industrial zones (staff identified those zones as south of Highway 126) and only after approval of a…