"Applicant"
means a person or organization who has registered with the City of Encinitas, per the process outlined by this chapter and developed by staff, in order to obtain a business license for a cannabis business.
"Commercial cannabis activity"
means the commercial cultivation, possession, manufacture, distribution, processing, storing, packaging, labeling, transportation, delivery or sale of cannabis or cannabis products.
"Cannabis Business"
means any person lawfully engaged in a commercial cannabis activity as set forth by the California Business and Professions Code, Division 10, and state rules and regulations implementing those laws.
"Cannabis business type"
means the classification of "cannabis business" that a person is pursuing in the City of Encinitas. For the purposes of this chapter, the cannabis business types are: retail, cultivation, product manufacturing, cannabis kitchen, and distribution.
"Cannabis concentrate"
means cannabis that has undergone a process to concentrate one or more active cannabinoids, thereby increasing the product's potency, as defined by Section 26001 of the California Business and Professions Code.
"Cannabis kitchen"
means a premises where edible cannabis products are produced by a manufacturer.
"Cultivation"
as defined by Section 26001 of the California Business and Professions Code.
"Cultivation license type"
is defined to mean a California state commercial marijuana license classification for cultivation in California Business and Professions Code section 26050, subdivision (a).
"Cultivation site"
as defined by Section 26001 of the California Business and Professions Code.
"Cultivator"
is the organization or entity holding the business license for cultivation.
"Cannabis products"
as defined by Section 11018.1 of the California Health and Safety Code.
"Day care center"
as defined by Section 1596.76 of the California Health and Safety Code, properly licensed and zoned in the City of Encinitas, and actively operating and providing childcare to children under the age of 18.
"Delivery"
as defined by Section 26001 of the California Business and Professions Code.
"Distributor"
is the organization or entity engaging in wholesale distribution of cannabis in compliance with the regulations for a State Cultivation License Type 11 (Distributor), defined in California Business and Professions Code section 26050, subdivision (a)(19).
"Distribution site"
is defined to mean a physical premises where cannabis and cannabis products are distributed by a distributor.
"Edible cannabis product"
means cannabis product that is intended to be used, in whole or in part, for human consumption, as defined by Section 26001 of the California Business and Professions Code.
"Edible production"
means the production of edible cannabis products by a manufacturer.
"Industrial hemp"
means a fiber or oilseed crop, or both, that is limited to types of the plant Cannabis sativa L. having no more than three-tenths of one percent tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) contained in the dried flowering tops, whether growing or not; the seeds of the plant; the resin extracted from any part of the plant; and every compound, manufacture, salt, derivative, mixture, or preparation of the plant, its seeds or resin produced therefrom.
"Manufacturer"
as defined by Section 26001 of the California Business and Professions Code.
"Owner"
means a person with an aggregate ownership interest, direct or indirect, of 20% or more in a commercial cannabis business, whether a partner, shareholder, member, or the like, including any security, lien, or encumbrance in an ownership interest that, upon default, could become an ownership interest of 20% or more in a commercial cannabis business.
"Plant canopy"
is the designated area at a indoor or mixed-light cultivation site that will contain mature plants, defined as cannabis plants that are flowering. For nursery cultivation, plant canopy shall mean the designated area that will contain seeds, clones, and immature plants, defined as plants that are not flowering.
"Playground"
means any outdoor grounds, owned or operated by the City, that contains any play or athletic equipment primarily used, or primarily intended to be used by, any person less than 18 years old.
"Preference"
means that if there exists multiple conflicting applicants who register to obtain a cannabis businesses of the same type, during the registration period, where the granting of a business license to one applicant would preclude another applicant from being granted a business license, the applicant who meets the criteria for preference who has submitted their initial application shall be considered for a business license prior to other applicants to whom granting a business license would conflict with their ability to obtain a business license. In a scenario where there are of multiple conflicting applicants, the applicant who meets the largest number of criteria for preference shall receive preference.
"Premises"
is defined to mean the legal parcel(s) of land and the improvements on it, including building(s), store(s), shop(s), apartment(s), or other designated structure. In the case of a parcel in an agricultural zone, premises is defined as the area inside of a building or other structure or the area surrounded by a fence that is dedicated to commercial cannabis activity. For a playground, premises is defined as the area containing the play or athletic equipment primarily used, or primarily intended to be used by, any person less than 18 years old. For a playground, measurements will be from the boundary of this area containing equipment.
"Primary caregiver"
as defined in Section 11362.7 of the Health and Safety Code.
"Product manufacturing"
means the manufacturing of a non-edible cannabis product, such as a cannabis concentrate, by a manufacturer.
"Product manufacturing site"
is defined to mean a physical premises where product manufacturing occurs.
"Qualified patient"
as defined in Section 11362.7 of the Health and Safety Code.
"Retailer"
is the organization or entity engaging in retail sale and delivery of cannabis or cannabis products to customers, in compliance with the regulations for a State Retail License Type 10 (Retail), as specified in the California Business and Professions Code section 26050, subdivision (a)(18).
"Responsible person"
is defined as the person who is responsible for the operation, management, direction, or policy of a marijuana retailer, cultivator, manufacturer, or distributor.
"Skilled and trained workforce"
is defined as a workforce that meets all of the following conditions:
1. 
All of the workers are either skilled journeypersons or apprentices registered in an apprenticeship program approved by the Chief of the Division of Apprenticeship Standards of the California Department of lndustrial Relations;
2. 
At least 60% of the skilled journeypersons by each contractor employed to perform work on the project are graduates of an apprenticeship program for the applicable occupation that was either approved by the chief pursuant to Section 3075 of the Labor Code or located outside California and approved for federal purposes pursuant to the apprenticeship regulations adopted by the Federal Secretary of Labor.
3. 
For an apprenticeable occupation in which no apprenticeship program had been approved by the Chief of the Division of Apprenticeship Standards of the California Department of Industrial Relations before January 1, 1995, up to one half of the graduation percentage requirements of subsection (2) above may be satisfied by skilled journeypersons who commenced working in the apprenticeable occupation before the approval of an apprenticeship program for that occupation in the county in which the project is located by the Chief of the Division of Apprenticeship Standards of the California Department of lndustrial Relations.
An "apprenticeable occupation" means an occupation for which the Chief of the Division of Apprenticeship Standards of the California Department of Industrial Relations has approved an apprenticeship program pursuant to Section 3075 of the Labor Code before January 1, 2014.
"Skilled journeyperson"
means a worker who either:
1. 
Graduated from an apprenticeship program for the applicable occupation that was approved by the chief pursuant to Section 3075 of the Labor Code or located outside California and approved for federal purposes pursuant to the apprenticeship regulations adopted by the Federal Secretary of Labor; or
2. 
Has at least as many hours of on-the-job experience in an applicable occupation as would be required to graduate from an apprenticeship program for the applicable occupation that is approved by the Chief of the Division of Apprenticeship Standards of the California Department of Industrial Relations.
"Sensitive use"
is defined as a day care center, playground, other retailer, or school. For purposes of this section, school means any public, or private, accredited institution of learning providing instruction in kindergarten or grades 1 to 12, inclusive, but does not include any private school in which education is primarily conducted in private homes.
(Ord. 2020-18)
Retailers shall be allowed in the commercial land use zones: commercial (ER-C), general commercial (GC), commercial mixed use (N-CM-3), commercial mixed use (N-CM-2), commercial mixed use (N-CM-1), commercial mixed use (D-CM-2), (D-CM-1), general commercial (C-GC2), general commercial (C-GCl), and in the mixed use land use zones ER-MU1 and ER-MU2, subject to the following restrictions and regulations.
A. 
At least four licenses shall be granted to retailers. The City Council may choose to increase the number of licenses granted at their discretion.
B. 
Retailers shall maintain a 1,000 foot separation from sensitive uses, as measured by a straight line from the closest property lines of the premises to the closest property line of the sensitive use. The measurement of distance between uses will take into account natural topographical barriers and constructed barriers such as freeways, flood control channels, or railroad tracks without pedestrian or automobile crossings that would impede direct physical access between the uses. In such cases, the separation distance shall be measured as the most direct route around the barrier in a manner that establishes direct access.
C. 
A retailer may engage in off-site delivery from the location of the retailer to a customer. The offsite delivery must be made by an authorized employee in an authorized vehicle owned, or leased, by the retailer. Off-site deliveries may only be made during the hours of operation. The retailer must adhere to any state rules and regulations regarding delivery.
D. 
Consultations by medical professionals shall not be permitted at a retailer.
E. 
Lighting shall be provided to illuminate the interior of the retailer, façade, and the immediate surrounding area, including any accessory uses, parking lots, and adjoining sidewalks. Lighting shall be hooded or oriented so as to deflect light away from adjacent properties.
F. 
Security shall be provided at the retailer which shall include operable cameras, alarms, and a security guard. The security guard shall be licensed by the State of California and be present on the premises 24 hours per day.
G. 
Signs shall be posted on the outside of the retailer and shall only contain the name of the business, limited to two colors.
H. 
The emergency contact phone number of an operator or manager shall be posted in a location visible from outside of the retailer in character size at least two inches in height.
I. 
The retailer shall operate only between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m., seven days a week.
J. 
Rules, regulations and local permitting requirements imposed on a retailer by the City shall conform to the state licensing requirements for a retailer, as set forth by the California Business and Professions Code, Division 10, and state rules and regulations implementing those laws.
(Ord. 2020-18)
Commercial cultivation sites shall be allowed in agricultural (AG) zones, subject to the following restrictions and regulations.
A. 
All cultivation must occur within the interior of a building or greenhouse. If the cultivation takes place within a greenhouse, the greenhouse construction must meet any greenhouse building standards within the City code, and obtain any building permits required for greenhouse construction or expansion.
B. 
An applicant for a cultivation site must specify for which cultivation license types the applicant will apply. Any cultivation must conform to the plant canopy and other limits set forth by the applicable cultivation license types.
C. 
Plants cultivated shall be tracked utilizing the state's track-and-trace system for cannabis.
D. 
Records of cultivation, both internal and as part of the state's track-and-trace system, must be made available to City inspectors upon request.
E. 
Security shall be provided at the commercial cultivation site, which shall include operable cameras, alarms, and a security guard. The security guard shall be licensed by the State of California and be present on the premise.
F. 
From a public right-of-way, there shall be no visual evidence of cultivation either within or outside the facility. Adverse impacts of cultivation shall be mitigated so that a "public nuisance" as defined by California Civil Code Section 3480 does not exist, including, but not limited to, adverse impacts of dust, glare, heat, noise, noxious gases, significant odor, or the use or storage of hazardous materials, processes, products or wastes. If an adverse impact occurs, a licensee shall have a reasonable opportunity and time to cure the complaint, adverse impact, or possible noncompliance as defined in this section before being subject to penalty, suspension, or revocation of the business license for cultivation.
G. 
No external signage shall be allowed, other than the address of the premise.
H. 
No public access or sales shall be allowed on the premise. Only directors, officers, managers, employees, agents, and contractors of the cultivator shall be present on the premises. Transporters and representatives of retailers, distributors, manufacturers, testing labs, and other licensees under the Medical Cannabis Regulation and Safety Act shall be allowed on the premises with prior notice to and permission by the cultivator to conduct business as required and appropriate.
I. 
The City encourages cultivators to operate in an environmentally sustainable manner. Preference will be given to applicants for cultivation who show their commitment to environmentally sustainable practices including building LEED certification, organic growing practices, and adoption of EPA WaterSense identified water saving technologies.
J. 
Rules, regulations, and local permitting requirements imposed on a cultivator and their affiliated cultivation site by the City shall conform to the state licensing requirements for a cultivator as set forth by the California Business and Professions Code, Division 10.
(Ord. 2020-18)
Product manufacturing sites shall be allowed in business parks (BP), light industrial (LI), and agricultural (AG) zones, subject to the following restrictions and regulations.
A. 
The use of volatile solvents for product manufacturing is prohibited.
B. 
The production of edible cannabis products is prohibited at a product manufacturing site.
C. 
All product manufacturing must conform to rules and requirements set forth by the California Department of Public Health for cannabis manufacturing, including those for testing, labeling and quality assurance.
D. 
Security shall be provided at the product manufacturing site which shall include operable cameras, alarms, and a security guard. The security guard shall be licensed by the State of California and be present on the premise.
E. 
No external signage shall be allowed, other than the address of the premise.
F. 
No public access or sales shall be allowed on the premise. Only directors, officers, managers, employees, agents, and contractors of the manufacturer shall be present on the premises. Transporters and representatives of retailers, distributors, cultivators, testing labs, and other licensees under the Medical Cannabis Regulation and Safety Act shall be allowed on the premises with prior notice to and permission by the manufacturer to conduct business as required and appropriate.
G. 
Rules, regulations, and local permitting requirements imposed on a manufacturer and its associated product manufacturing site by the City shall conform to the state licensing requirements for manufacturers, as set forth by the California Business and Professions Code, Division 10.
(Ord. 2020-18)
Cannabis kitchens shall be allowed in business parks (BP), light industrial (LI), and general commercial (CG) zones, subject to the following restrictions and regulations.
A. 
No extraction of cannabis concentrates shall be allowed on premise.
B. 
All edible cannabis product production must conform to rules and requirements set forth by the California Department of Public Health for cannabis manufacturing, including those for testing, labeling and quality assurance.
C. 
Security shall be provided at the cannabis kitchen site which shall include operable cameras, alarms, and a security guard. The security guard shall be licensed by the State of California and be present on the premises during business hours.
D. 
No external signage shall be allowed, other than the address of the premise.
E. 
No public access or sales shall be allowed on the premise. Only directors, officers, managers, employees, agents, and contractors of the manufacturer shall be present on the premises. Transporters and representatives of retailers, distributors, cultivators, testing labs, and other licensees under the Medical Cannabis Regulation and Safety Act shall be allowed on the premises with prior notice to and permission by the manufacturer to conduct business as required and appropriate.
F. 
Any cannabis kitchen employee who is directly involved in the production, or handling, of edible cannabis products as part of their employment must pass a state-approved food safety certification exam.
G. 
A cannabis kitchen also must be a California-licensed commercial kitchen or a cottage kitchen with a class B permit.
H. 
Rules, regulations, and local permitting requirements imposed on a manufacturer and its associated cannabis kitchen by the City shall conform to the state licensing requirements for manufacturers, as set forth by the California Business and Professions Code, Division 10.
(Ord. 2020-18)
Distribution sites shall be allowed in business parks (BP) as well as in light industrial (LI) zones subject to the following restrictions and regulations.
A. 
Security shall be provided at the distribution site which shall include operable cameras, alarms, and a security guard. The security guard shall be licensed by the State of California and be present on the premise.
B. 
No external signage shall be allowed, other than the address of the premise.
C. 
No public access or sales shall be allowed on the premise. Only directors, officers, managers, employees, agents, and contractors of the distributor shall be present on the premises. Transporters and representatives of retailers, other distributors, cultivators, manufacturers, testing labs, and other licensees under the Medical Cannabis Regulation and Safety Act shall be allowed on the premises with prior notice to and permission by the distributor to conduct business as required and appropriate.
D. 
Rules, regulations, and local permitting requirements imposed on a distributor and their affiliated distribution site by the City shall conform to the state licensing requirements for distributors, as set forth by the California Business and Professions Code, Division 10.
(Ord. 2020-18)
Any cannabis business shall register with the City of Encinitas and shall show compliance with the below regulations prior to being issued a business license and beginning operations. The City Manager or designee of same will administer marijuana business registration.
A. 
The responsible person and owners of a cannabis business shall be subject to a background check. Any person who has been convicted of a serious or violent felony may not operate, manage, control, or own a cannabis business.
B. 
An applicant for a business license for a cannabis business must provide written proof that the building owner or management condones a cannabis business on the premise.
C. 
Preference will be given to applicants where an owner of the applying organization for a cannabis business has at least one of the following types of experience:
1. 
A minimum of 12 consecutive months as an owner or responsible person of a cannabis business, within the previous five years, in a jurisdiction permitting such commercial cannabis activity. The 12 consecutive months of lawful cannabis business ownership demonstrated must be of a type substantially similar to that allowed by the City license for which the applicant is applying;
2. 
A minimum of 36 consecutive months as an owner with an aggregate ownership of 30% or more in a lawful pharmaceutical business licensed and regulated by a state or the federal government. The 36 months of experience demonstrated must be of a type substantially similar to that allowed by the City license for which the applicant is applying; or
3. 
A minimum of 18 consecutive months as an owner with an aggregate ownership interest of 20% or more in a lawful, properly licensed business with an average of four or more employees located within the City, thereby demonstrating a record of experience, familiarity and compliance with City rules and regulations.
A cannabis business owner who meets multiple criteria will receive greater preference based on the number of criteria they meet.
D. 
No cannabis business shall be allowed to operate where an owner, or responsible person, has been cited or fined by any California jurisdiction for operating a non-permitted cannabis business after October of 2015, when the state passed the Medical Cannabis Regulation and Safety Act, that first defined operating rules for cannabis businesses in the State of California.
E. 
The City may charge a reasonable registration fee for a cannabis business and a reasonable annual fee for regulating the cannabis business. Such fees shall be established by the City.
F. 
A business license for a cannabis business may be revoked or suspended due to legitimate loitering, significant smell, or noise complaints, upon City confirmation of the significant smell, noise, or loitering; noncompliance with the regulations specified in this chapter, following City confirmation of the noncompliance; or noncompliance with other applicable state or local regulation following City or state confirmation of the noncompliance. The licensee shall have a reasonable opportunity and time to cure the complaint or possible noncompliance as defined in this section before being subject to suspension, penalty, or revocation of the business license.
G. 
A cannabis business shall be subject to any relevant city municipal codes including the design review process as defined by Chapter 23.08 of this Code, as well as the Special Purpose Overlay Zone regulations as defined by Chapter 30.34 of this Code.
H. 
For any cannabis business type where this chapter explicitly specifies a numeric limit on the number of business licenses that shall be granted, the city shall conduct a lottery of eligible potential business operators of the cannabis business type who have registered with the City and have been determined to be in compliance with all of the rules and regulations outlined in this chapter, in order to determine which shall receive a business license. The lottery shall be designed in the following manner.
1. 
The lottery shall be tiered, with the first lottery drawing among the applicants who meet the maximum number of criteria for preference. The subsequent lottery drawings shall take place among the applicants who meet the second largest number of criteria, and so on, until all licenses are granted.
2. 
In the case where a lottery is conducted, the City shall have a registration period of one month to accept registrations from potential cannabis businesses of the cannabis business type wishing to operate in the City.
3. 
The City shall then determine which applicants comply with the below criteria, in order to qualify for the lottery. The lottery shall be conducted after verifying which applicants who registered during the registration period meet the requirements outlined below. An applicant who is unable to meet the requirements shown below shall be ineligible to compete in the lottery.
a. 
The address selected complies with all relevant zoning and sensitive use requirements.
b. 
The applicant has submitted written proof that the building owner or management condones a cannabis business on the premises in the form requested by the City.
c. 
The applicant has submitted proof that they meet the preference criteria for any preference they claim.
i. 
If the documentation of a preference criteria qualification submitted is deemed inadequate, the applicant shall be given a reasonable opportunity to provide further documentation prior to the lottery. However, if such documentation is not provided, the preference based on this criteria shall not be granted.
d. 
A background check has been conducted verifying that the owners of a cannabis business have not been convicted of a serious or violent felony.
4. 
An applicant that is selected in the lottery must demonstrate compliance with all regulations outlined in this chapter prior to obtaining their business license and beginning operations.
a. 
If an applicant selected in the lottery is unable to comply with the regulations and requirements outlined in this chapter in order to obtain a business license from the City within 18 months of being selected, their selection shall be retracted, and a subsequent registration period shall occur and lottery shall be held for the opportunity to obtain the forfeited business license.
i. 
If the majority of the delays in the licensing of a cannabis business are determined to be due to processing, scheduling, or other delays on the part of the City or other relevant authority, beyond the control of the applicant, the period for compliance shall be extended for the applicant, proportional to the delays.
b. 
If a cannabis business for a cannabis business type subject to a lottery were to have their business license revoked, a subsequent registration period shall occur and an additional lottery shall be held to determine who will be eligible to obtain the business license made available following the revocation.
I. 
For any cannabis business type where this chapter does not specify a numeric limit on the business licenses that shall granted, the City should allow applicants for cannabis businesses to register with the City and apply for business licenses on an ongoing basis, without a fixed registration period for application.
J. 
A cannabis business that has obtained a business license in the City may subsequently transfer their business license to another premises in the City, provided that the new premises meets all of the requirements outlined in this chapter for their cannabis business type.
(Ord. 2020-18)
Industrial hemp shall be allowed in agricultural zones, subject to the following restrictions and regulations. Industrial hemp shall be cultivated in compliance with the California Food and Agricultural Code, Division 24, as well as all relevant regulations for agriculture and agricultural products in the Encinitas City Code. Business licenses in the City of Encinitas for industrial hemp will be made available 60 days after the State of California develops final regulations for industrial hemp production and licensing.
A business license for an industrial hemp agricultural activity may be revoked or suspended due to legitimate loitering, significant odor, or noise complaints, upon City confirmation of the smell, noise, or loitering; noncompliance with the regulations specified in this chapter, following City confirmation of the noncompliance; or noncompliance with other applicable state or local regulation following City or state confirmation of the noncompliance. The licensee shall have a reasonable opportunity and time to cure the complaint or possible noncompliance as defined in this section before being subject to suspension, penalty, or revocation of the business license.
(Ord. 2020-18)
A qualified patient may cultivate up to 100 square feet indoors for personal use. A primary care-giver may cultivate up to 100 square feet indoors for the personal medical use of a single qualified patient, and may cultivate for no more than five maximum individual qualified patients. Personal use cultivation may also be further restricted, or disallowed, by a building's owner, management, or governing housing association as allowable by state law.
Personal use cultivation, for medical and adult use, must conform to state law and local codes, including, but not limited to, nuisance codes, building codes, electrical codes, and waste disposal codes. No additional City permission, clearance or registration shall be necessary or imposed by the City for personal use cultivation.
(Ord. 2020-18)
For all property or building construction or engineering activities required to obtain permits from the City of Encinitas necessary to operate a retail site, cultivation site, product manufacturing site or distribution site, a skilled and trained workforce shall be required for all contractors engaged in the property or building construction activities.
(Ord. 2020-18)
This chapter, except as specified herein, shall only be amended by a subsequent vote of the people. Notwithstanding any other law or provision in this chapter, the City Council shall have the right and the ability to amend or modify this chapter under the following circumstances:
A. 
After this chapter has been in effect in the City of Encinitas for a period of three years, the City Council, in its sole and exclusive discretion, determines that regulations, or zoning, outlined in the chapter warrant adjustment due to inflation, unreasonable cost burdens to the City or cannabis businesses, unreasonable regulatory burdens to the City or cannabis businesses, or that a zoning or regulatory restriction contained in the chapter has created any other unnecessary or unanticipated burden to the City or cannabis businesses, the City Council shall be granted the power to modify the ordinance to relax the zoning or regulatory burdens on the City and/or cannabis businesses.
B. 
If the City Attorney determines that the regulations or zoning established in this chapter no longer conform to the California State regulations for marijuana activity or that the regulations established in this chapter fail to conform to the local licensing requirements for cannabis businesses, the City Council shall be granted the power to make the changes necessary to bring the City's regulation of cannabis businesses into compliance with current state law.
(Ord. 2020-18)