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City attorney tells Temple City Council there are limited local cannabis revenues and new state planning requirements
Summary
The city attorney told the Temple City Council that Temple City currently has no retail cannabis sales, summarized reporting that Los Angeles is owed over $400 million in cannabis-related taxes, and outlined state law changes (AB 1889, AB 2684) that will require updates to the general plan’s conservation and safety elements; staff will begin work now and council review is likely in 2027.
The city attorney briefed the Temple City Council on state and regional developments that affect local revenues and upcoming planning obligations. He said Temple City does not have retail cannabis sales and noted reporting that the City of Los Angeles is owed more than $400 million in cannabis-related taxes, while an initial recovery effort aims to collect roughly $30 million of that amount.
Why it matters: the city attorney warned that widely cited projections of large tax windfalls from cannabis retail can be overstated and that collection challenges at larger jurisdictions can limit what local governments realistically expect. He also said staff will need to begin work on comprehensive updates to the general plan required by new state laws.
Details from the briefing included the city attorney’s summary of two pending or enacted state bills that will shape Temple City’s planning work. He said Assembly Bill 1889 requires local conservation elements to take wildlife connectivity into account. He also said Assembly Bill 2684 requires local safety elements to include a plan for extreme heat hazards — an item the attorney described as important for an aging population. The city attorney told council members the broader general plan update is due in 2028 and that the city will likely bring draft elements to the council in 2027 after staff and Planning Commission review.
The briefing included a regional example on cannabis administration: the city attorney cited coverage that the City of Los Angeles reported being owed more than $400 million in unpaid cannabis taxes and described a Los Angeles program that hopes to recoup about $30 million — “about 7 cents on the dollar,” he said. He also referenced reporting from Santa Barbara County that some growers had left harvests unpicked because wholesale taxes become due at harvest and profit margins were insufficient.
Next steps: the city attorney said staff will start the general plan work with the Planning Commission’s review where required and return to council for policy direction and formal hearings. No policy votes were taken at this meeting on cannabis or the general plan.
