Board changes medical cannabis dispensary rules, approves amended ordinance on first reading

The Board of Supervisors on Sept. 25 voted to amend and pass on first reading an ordinance that revises the Health Code and Planning Code provisions governing medical cannabis dispensaries.

The ordinance as described in the clerk's reading would: require the director of public health to certify that applicants for medical cannabis dispensary permits have not been convicted of certain felony offenses; require dispensaries to provide specified security measures; establish minimum disability access standards; extend the time period for dispensaries to obtain a medical cannabis dispensary permit; authorize the sale and delivery of medical cannabis to qualified patients with a verifiable written recommendation from a physician; and clarify the definition of "medical cannabis dispensary."

Supervisor Peskin and other members debated a request to "divide the question" to separate ground-floor service-area language; the board split the ordinance into at least two votes so specific provisions could be considered independently. The transcript records that the main portion of the ordinance passed on final vote with nine ayes and one no; the divided portion also passed, with seven ayes and three noes.

After the roll calls the clerk announced the ordinance was "finally passed" in both the main and divided portions. The board's action on Sept. 25 advanced the ordinance on first reading per the clerk's roll-call announcements.

The transcript does not include the ordinance number or full final text in the meeting record read during the hearing; the clerk summarized the topics the ordinance would address when the item was called. Specific implementation steps, including how the director of public health will certify applicants or how security standards will be enforced, were not detailed in the transcript and will depend on the ordinance text and subsequent administrative rules.