The City of San Luis Obispo, CA is accepting cannabis business applications for Cannabis Delivery, Cannabis Microbusiness, and Cannabis Cultivation business. The application is merit based with no caps, but property is required. Applications due between January 15th - February 15th 2020.
For help with all of your upcoming cannabis licensing needs, contact Cannabis Advising Partners at (800) 819-0149 or click the button below.
The Bureau of Cannabis Control (Bureau) is encouraging retailers open to the public to post a QR Code certificate that consumers may scan with their smartphone camera when visiting a commercial cannabis storefront retailer to confirm licensure. Participation in this effort by retail licensees will assist consumers in purchasing legal cannabis goods. Licensees are also encouraged to educate their customers on how to use the QR Code and the importance of shopping at a licensed retailer. The Bureau is providing licensees with an enlarged version of their individual QR Code (QR Code certificate). Storefront cannabis retailers are encouraged to assist the public by prominently displaying their QR Code certificate on the licensed premises in the following manner:
• The QR Code certificate should be visible and scannable from outside the premises.
• The QR Code certificate should be printed on paper not less than 8 ½” by 11”.
• The QR Code itself should not be less than 3.75” by 3.75”.
• The QR Code should be posted in the front window of the licensed premises or in a locked display case mounted on the outside wall of the licensed premises within three (3) feet of any public entrance to the licensed facility.
• The QR Code should be posted in a manner that is clearly visible from outside of the licensed premises by all persons entering the premises and shall be of sufficient clarity that the code can be read by a smartphone or device capable of reading QR Codes from a distance of at least three (3) feet.
Consumers can confirm that the retail location is properly licensed by using a phone camera or QR Code app to scan the QR Code certificate. Once scanned, the consumer will automatically link to a URL that confirms the cannabis retailer’s license status. The website will display the address and business license of the location to ensure that the retailer at that location is licensed. By providing commercial cannabis consumers with an easy method for verifying licensure status, the Bureau and its licensees can work together to reduce the potential risks that may come from the purchase of non-compliant cannabis goods from unlicensed retailers.
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The most significant updates to Article 4 include a revised definition of “Undue Concentration” to increase the number of the number of cannabis businesses and define ownership concentration. In addition, a tiered system of “Social Equity Applicants” was permitted to allow for economically disadvantaged persons to apply for cannabis licenses.
The definition of undue concentration was updated to allow for additional business licenses according to population density and applicable zoning laws. This includes:
One Store Front Retail (Type 10 license) for every 10,000 residents.
One Microbusiness (Type 12 license) for every 7,500 residents. A Microbusiness is an entity that engages in cultivation on less than 10,000 square feet.
One square foot (1 sq. ft.) of cultivation space for every 350 square feet of zoned land.
One license to manufacturer (Type7) for every 7,500 residents.
Existing dispensaries (EMMD) and processors (as defined under Section 104.08) are not subject to this new rule.
Additional rules, including calendar days, for how applications are submitted, accepted, processed, approved and denied was also clarified. Some limits pertaining to zoning (i.e. M1-M3, MR1, MR2), as well as limits on the number of licenses (i.e. 1 cultivation license per every 2,500 square feet of cultivation space) were also delineated.
The Undue Concentration provisions may be waived if the City Council believes doing so would serve “public convenience or necessity.”
Ownership & Percentages was also updated to clarify and limit the number of individuals that may own cannabis businesses
A person may own or have a maximum 20% profit share in up to three Storefront retail (Type 10) or Delivery (Type 9) businesses.
Three types of Social Equity Applications (Tier 1, Tier 2 and Tier 3, each which must be approved by DCR), were introduced:
Tier 1 applicants are reserved for those with low income AND a prior California Cannabis Arrest or Conviction; OR Low income and a minimum of 5 years California residency.
Restrictions, including a minimum ownership requirement (51%), as well as benefits including expedited renewal processing, fee deferrals are also detailed.
A “Tier 2 Social Equity Applicant” was also defined to include anyone with a Low Income & 5 years' residency or 10 years residency and no less than a 33.3% ownership.
A “Tier 3 Social Equity Applicant” was also defined to essentially include those entities that support Tier 1 & Tier 2 applicants and regulates the price per square foot of property, in certain instances.
Finally, this ordinance also requires a completed financial statement for the “most recently completed fiscal year” for any cannabis businesses applying for a renewal license.
Posted on: April 25, 2019
The City is hosting two Community Meetings to present information on the current state of cannabis regulation and collect community input on potential regulation of cannabis-related uses in Signal Hill. Attendees will have the opportunity to learn and comment on current State law, the City’s current ban, regulation in Long Beach, State and local fees and taxes and the observations of the City's Prop 64 Subcommittee. The results of the workshop will be presented to the City Council in July.
The meetings will be held on the following dates in City Council Chambers, 2175 Cherry Avenue:
Wednesday, May 22, 2019 at 6:00 p.m.
Tuesday, June 18 at 7:00 p.m. as part of the Planning Commission Meeting
The City of Signal Hill currently prohibits all commercial uses related to medical and adult use cannabis with the exception of mobile cannabis delivery, which was legalized through State legislation. In addition, regulated personal indoor cultivation for up to six plants is allowed as mandated by State law.
Leafly
March 20, 2019
https://www.leafly.com/news/politics/support-for-us-cannabis-legalization-reaches-new-high-poll-finds
LOS ANGELES (AP) — A growing majority of Americans say marijuana should be legal, underscoring a national shift as more states embrace cannabis for medical or adult use.
Support for legal marijuana hit 61 percent in 2018, up from 57 percent two years ago, according to the General Social Survey, a widely respected trend survey that has been measuring support for legal marijuana since the 1970s.
An analysis of the survey by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research and the General Social Survey staff finds that increased backing of legalization cut across all age groups and political parties. The 2018 poll is the first in which a majority of Republicans support legalizing marijuana — 54 percent, up from 45 percent in 2016.
Among Democrats, 76 percent now favor legalization.
The rising support mirrors the evolving legal landscape across the country. Most Americans now live in places where marijuana is legal in some form, with 10 states allowing recreational usage and more than 30 allowing medicinal use.
The GSS asks about making use of marijuana legal, but does not specify whether it should be legal for recreational or medical use.
Legalization advocates say the increasing public support should prompt the U.S. government to reverse course. At the federal level, marijuana is categorized as a dangerous illegal drug, similar to LSD or heroin.
“Our time has come,” said Justin Strekal, political director of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, or NORML. “Never in modern history has there existed greater public support for ending the nation’s nearly century-long experiment with marijuana prohibition.”
Support for legalization is strongest among 18-to-34-year-olds, with nearly 75 percent favoring it.
But older Americans are taking a more favorable view, too. Forty-six percent of those 65 and older say marijuana should be legal, up from 42 percent in 2016.
Views on marijuana legalization have shifted dramatically: In the 1973 GSS, just 19 percent supported legalization.
The change in Americans’ views about cannabis can also be witnessed on the campaign trail. A growing list of Democratic presidential contenders want the U.S. government to legalize marijuana, including California Sen. Kamala Harris, a former prosecutor whose home state is the nation’s largest legal pot shop, and New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker, a prominent legalization advocate on Capitol Hill.
Support for legalization has been gradually growing for years, but it has increased sharply since 2012, when Colorado and Washington state became the first states to legalize the recreational use of cannabis.
The General Social Survey has been conducted since 1972 by NORC at the University of Chicago, primarily using in-person interviewing.
Sample sizes for each year’s survey vary from about 1,500 to about 3,000 adults, with margins of error falling between plus or minus 2.2 percentage points and plus or minus 3.1 percentage points.
The most recent survey was conducted April 12 through Nov. 10, 2018, and includes interviews with 2,348 American adults.
With ever-changing regulations across the industry and recently-updated policies in California, it can be challenging for cannabis newcomers to keep up with licensing requirements and procedures. And if you’re looking to launch a California cannabis retail operation, you’ll also need an understanding of cannabis business best practices and compliance mandates.
If you’re new to the industry — or new to running a cannabis retail outfit — you may want to consider the services of a California cannabis consultant. Depending on your goals and needs, a quality consultant can navigate you through the licensing application process, help you write your dispensary business plan, develop retail space layouts and floor plans, and even guide your cannabis branding and marketing.
We’ve put together a list of the top five cannabis consultants in California to help you on your journey to opening a cannabis dispensary in California.
Based in Long Beach, Cannabis Advising Partners assists clients with every stage of cannabis operation startup — licensing and permitting, corporate formation, strategic 280E tax planning, compliance management, staffing and everything in between. With a team consisting of attorneys, accountants, engineers, and executives experienced in liaising between industry and government, Cannabis Advising Partners is equipped to help get your cannabis retail operation off the ground.
Founded in Colorado by Jay and Diane Czarkowski, Canna Advisors works with cannabis businesses throughout legal states, including California. Their services include license application support and procurement, facility design, business and brand development, operations management, California cannabis compliance, and expansion services when you’re ready to scale.
The Czarkowskis are highly experienced in cannabis, having founded one of the first cultivation and dispensary facilities in Colorado, and their staff has a combined 75 years of cannabis industry experience. Canna Advisors was named the number-one cannabis consulting firm by Cannabis Business Executive in 2017.
Be Green Legal helps clients through the California cannabis permitting process by assisting with property surveys and site selection, facility floor plans, business and operations plans, environmental permits, and local and state licenses. Be Green’s team includes experienced land use planners, environmental impact compliance experts, and executive strategists, and they have offices in San Diego and Sacramento to assist clients throughout the state.
As the name implies, 3C Comprehensive Cannabis Consulting provides end-to-end consulting for cannabis businesses. Services include evaluating startup financials and investor presentations, cannabis retail licensing support, site selection, facility design and development, compliance and regulatory support, as well as business planning and marketing development. 3C is led by CEO Nic Easley, who boasts more than 15 years of experience in commercial cannabis.
Canna Group Inc. helps its clients with four key elements of California cannabis licensing: site selection, retail floor plan, team development, and operational planning. Once licensed, Canna Group’s staff assists with equipment and vendor selection, compliance management, record keeping and documentation, security needs, and all other state-mandated cannabis retail requirements.
Canna Group is chaired by Grant Rollin, who also serves as CFO. Rollin spent nearly 20 years with Deloitte before going on to found and serve as a C-level executive in several high-value ventures. Canna Group’s CEO Aaron Silverman brings a strong cannabis background to the firm, having managed dispensaries, grown cannabis, and assisted numerous cannabis businesses with development, marketing, and branding.
Vision, strategy, and execution — three elements that make up the VSE Method, employed by the cannabis business advisors at VSE Solutions. This team of business development and cannabis industry veterans provides a suite of services including brand development, project and event management, marketing plan development and execution, and more. VSE Solutions has current and former clients in every sector of the industry — from cultivators and manufacturers down to retailers and testing labs.
Glendale-based firm SIVA Enterprises provides full-service cannabis business development, offering application support, strategic partnerships, operations management, brand and product development, and more.
CAP continues its successful navigation of the complex cannabis licensing process to obtain client licenses.
LONG BEACH and SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. (PRWEB) March 01, 2019
Cannabis Advising Partners (CAP), a leading cannabis licensing, compliance, and business consultant, proudly announced that it attained two Commercial Cannabis Business (CCB) licenses for its clients at the San Bernardino City Council meeting on February 21. The two approved licenses achieved the highest ratings possible in their distinct categories.
“We’re thrilled for our clients’ successful outcomes in San Bernardino,” said Gasper Guarrasi, founder and chief executive officer at CAP. While explaining that the licensing process is time-consuming and demanding, Guarrasi credited the City of San Bernardino with its “efficient approach to the complex multi-phase process.”
Cannabis licenses in the city are awarded on a neutral point system, organized and run by HdL's cannabis program services, with the highest points holders earning the commercial business licenses. Out of sixteen total licenses awarded, CAP secured two of these positions—the number one and number three points holders overall. The two licenses were also rated number one in their respective categories of retail and microbusiness.
“CAP played an instrumental role in helping us prepare a business plan and application to help position us, our credentials and our story to secure a license,” said one of CAP’s successful clients upon learning of its win. “We look forward to our continued work with CAP on other licenses in other cities and through the compliance process.”
Background on Cannabis Advising Partners (CAP)
Cannabis Advising Partners (CAP) provides full-service licensing, compliance and business services to cultivators, manufacturers, distributors, retailers, microbusinesses and other industry-related companies. By utilizing its 20 plus years of experience in environmental compliance and management of more than 1,300 facilities, CAP provides the highest level of strategic advice in the industry. CAP advises and positions cannabis companies to properly navigate the new and complex requirements that surround all aspects of business formation and growth needs, including the submission of an annual license application, sustainability, business plans, legal consultation, investment strategies, social- equity requirements, branding and marketing, and the broad range of intricate compliance standards that are mandated by law. For more information, please visit https://cannabisadvising.com
Contact
Lori Rhodes
Cannabis Advising Partners https://cannabisadvising.com +1 800-819-0149
Web Link: https://www.prweb.com/releases/cap_secures_two_major_cannabis_licensing_wins_in_san_bernardino_ca/prweb16134775.htm
