Orange County City Looks to Recoup Lost Revenue Through Cannabis Sales
Costa Mesa is moving forward with its cannabis retail plans as it tries to offset revenue lost amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
During a Feb. 23 special study session, city council will discuss a staffing plan for implementing Costa Mesa’s retail cannabis tax. The move comes after voters last November passed a ballot measure that will allow the city to permit storefront sales of the drug.
Measure Q is Costa Mesa’s retail cannabis tax and regulation measure. It allows for recreational cannabis dispensaries and deliveries to operate within the guidelines adopted by city council.
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Fullerton Council Postpones Retail Cannabis Discussion
Retail cannabis is coming to Fullerton, California, but the timeline has become increasingly unclear.
Certain details about the ordinance, which officially went into effect on Dec. 17, were scheduled for discussion at the Jan. 19 Fullerton City Council meeting. However, the council narrowly voted to reschedule the conversation for Feb. 16.
Mayor Pro Tem Nick Dunlap raised the issue of postponing the item so city officials could have “a more robust discussion” regarding fees, applications, and amendments to the approved ordinance.
“This is something that the community has expressed a lot of concern with,” Dunlap said at the meeting. “They’re going to want to come in and … make comments. And I think we have the time to wait and do this the right way.”
Motion to Delay Retail Cannabis Sales in Fullerton Fails in Council
An “urgency ordinance” seeking to delay Fullerton’s recent approval of cannabis sales within city limits has failed.
The item received a majority 3–2 support at a meeting of the Fullerton City Council on Dec. 15, but urgency ordinances in the Southern California city require the support of 4 out of 5 councilmembers to pass.
City Manager Ken Domer said the motion which would have pushed the Dec. 17 effective date to April 16, 2021 was a response to several concerns, including the lack of residential buffer zones and the “threat of litigation” from adjoining jurisdictions.