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Monterey planners begin drafting rules to allow cannabis consumption venues, stress ventilation and enforcement
Summary
County staff presented a draft ordinance to let licensed cannabis retailers offer onsite consumption, recommending a ministerial process for existing stores while flagging odor, ventilation and enforcement as key concerns; commissioners sought stricter public‑health protections and told staff to refine language and return.
Monterey County planning staff on Feb. 25 opened a public workshop on draft rules to allow cannabis consumption venues in the unincorporated county, asking the Planning Commission for direction on six topics including permitting process, facility footprint, hours, live entertainment, location and ventilation.
Mike Novo, management specialist in the county’s Housing and Community Development division, told the commission the Board of Supervisors asked staff to draft an ordinance. The draft makes consumption a land use tied to an existing licensed retail facility and presents four permitting options; staff recommended option A, a ministerial permit allowing consumption to be added to an already permitted retailer without a public discretionary hearing. "We think we've identified the significant land‑use issues and provided regulations sufficient to address them," Novo said, adding staff prefers a streamlined ministerial path to avoid the time and expense of repeated discretionary reviews.
Why it matters: staff said a ministerial approach would let retailers that have already satisfied discretionary retail approvals add consumption under…
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