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Coastal Blooms urges APCD review of Rule 2.10 permitting fees, says costs rose ~300%
Summary
Amanda Clark of Coastal Blooms Nursery asked the board to direct staff to review the costs and effectiveness of Rule 2.10 cannabis permitting, saying comparable permit fees rose about 300% without added regulatory benefit; staff said it will calculate program costs and report back to the Community Advisory Council and the board.
At the Santa Barbara County Air Pollution Control Districts Jan. 15 meeting, Amanda Clark, compliance manager at Coastal Blooms Nursery, urged the board to direct staff to conduct a program review of the agencys cannabis permitting under Rule 2.10, saying fees had increased dramatically for comparable permits.
"From January through July 2024, we worked closely with APCD staff on the development of these amendments," Clark said. "Based on our experience obtaining three APCD permits, two under the amended rule, fees for comparable permits have increased by approximately 300% without a corresponding increase in regulatory scope, complexity, or demonstrated environmental benefit." She asked the board to either demonstrate the programs environmental benefits or provide permit waivers for operators with existing odor abatement plans enforced by county planning and development.
District staff responded that the Community Advisory Council (CAC) recommended forwarding Rule 2.10 to the board and asked staff to report on effectiveness. Staff said the district adopted a cost-recovery permitting process to avoid over- or under-charging and that staff coordinate with county planning and other lead agencies to reduce duplication.
"My staff is currently calculating the cost associated with the cannabis permit program as well as the effort that weve done and well be reporting back to the Community Advisory Council," staff said, adding they can also report back to the board if requested.
The board did not take immediate action; a board member asked that the matter be agendized for a future meeting so the board could receive the staff report and any CAC findings.
Next steps: Staff will complete the cost calculation and present findings to the CAC and, at the boards request, to this board for further consideration.
