Cathedral City residents decry strong odor from new cannabis grow; council agrees to place moratorium discussion on next agenda

Dozens of residents told the Cathedral City City Council on Jan. 8 that a newly opened cannabis cultivation facility is producing a persistent odor that they said has disrupted daily life, exacerbated breathing problems and driven down nearby property values.

Speakers at the public-comment portion included homeowners and long-term resort owners who said the smell wafts into yards, RVs and public spaces near Date Palm Drive, Rosemount Road and the Outdoor Resorts community. Many urged immediate enforcement action and clearer city communication about mitigation steps.

The complaints prompted Mayor Pro Tem Tim Gregory and other council members to ask staff to return with an item that would temporarily pause new cannabis permits while the city reviews code, enforcement tools and mitigation options. Councilmembers directed staff to place consideration of a short-term moratorium on a future agenda so the body can review possible ordinance or policy changes and solicit public input.

Why it matters: speakers said the odor is recurring and wide-ranging, affecting residents, visitors and nearby cities. Several commenters said the smell reaches local schools and public shopping areas and could affect tourism and festivals the city typically promotes.

Residents described health and quality-of-life impacts. Carol Lowry, a resident of Desert Sands Mobile Home Park, said she cannot sit on her patio because of the odor and asked for an update on mitigation systems the grower had promised. Resident Greg Astley said the community needs timelines and enforcement steps, saying, “We just want the smell gone.” Dean Stepkoski, who said residents have installed their own air monitor at his resort, told the council the device was “reading twice as high as everywhere else around us.”

John Bodin, speaking as an owner at Outdoor Resorts, asked the council to set a timeline for resolving the problem and said promises made during project approvals — that the operation would not cause odors — have not been met. Georgine Fairbanks, a board member in neighboring Rancho Mirage, warned the problem is spilling beyond Cathedral City and said some people are already calling the city “Stink City.”

City staff and council responses: Councilmembers Carmen Carnivale and Oscar Gutierrez acknowledged the seriousness of the complaints and said they will press staff for more information. City Manager lehi (spelled in the transcript as cited) said staff is already surveying businesses and technology used in the industry and recommended a careful, studied review. On the dais, the mayor and council expressed the need for both short-term relief for residents and longer-term code changes.

Legal and procedural note: councilmembers asked staff to place a moratorium item on a future agenda. City staff and the city attorney told the council that an initial moratorium is typically short (the city manager referenced a roughly 45-day initial period) and that state/local processes allow subsequent extensions while a jurisdiction studies code changes. The council did not adopt a moratorium at the Jan. 8 meeting; it only asked staff to prepare the item for formal consideration at a future meeting.

Community monitoring and enforcement: residents said they have repeatedly reported odors to the city and some have purchased independent air monitors to document conditions. One resident said contacting city compliance staff yielded little clarity about enforcement status. Commenters urged the council to use the city’s permit authority to require effective mitigation or to order temporary shutdowns when odors leave the property.

What’s next: Councilmembers agreed to add an item to a future agenda so the city can consider a temporary moratorium on new or expanded cannabis permits and to gather technical and enforcement information. The council asked staff to consult the cannabis task force and return with recommendations, including any necessary ordinance language and potential timelines.

Ending: Councilmembers said they want a transparent process that balances legal constraints with residents’ reports of health and quality-of-life impacts. No formal regulatory action was taken at the Jan. 8 meeting; the city will agendize the moratorium item for a future hearing.