Mendocino committee asks staff to bring microbusiness cannabis ordinance alignment to full board after public input

Mendocino County planning staff and cannabis regulators told the General Government Committee on June 25 that there are several differences between county rules and recent state regulations for cannabis microbusinesses, and the committee unanimously directed staff to return recommendations to the full Board of Supervisors.

The memo presented by Julia Krog, director of Planning and Building Services, said the state allows a single microbusiness license that can cover cultivation and facility activities while Mendocino County currently requires separate cultivation and facility business licenses. Krog also identified differences in zoning allowances, residency requirements tied to home-occupation and cottage-industry pathways, and overlapping security requirements between county and state rules. "The state has a process where you can essentially apply for a single license, both for your cultivation component as well as your facility components for a micro business," Krog said.

Why it matters: local operators and industry groups told the committee that county limits — particularly the requirement that some activities be tied to a dwelling and the cap of 10 retail customers per day for home-occupation retail — reduce economic viability for many craft cultivators. Committee members said they wanted staff to examine potential ordinance amendments, alignment with state…