A. This section is intended to establish a method for the determination of the maximum number of commercial cannabis businesses that may be issued Commercial Cannabis Permits to operate in the City under each category of commercial cannabis business type. The City Council may establish further policies and procedures by minute order, ordinance or resolution regarding processes and procedures for processing and selecting of permits.
B. Nothing in this chapter creates a mandate, right, obligation, or expectation that the City must, will or shall authorize any or all of the permits available at any time, increase the number of permits available, or issue a permit to a commercial cannabis business that submits an application to the City if it is determined that it is in the best interest of the City to not authorize such in the City, or if an applicant does not meet the standards established in the application requirements or further amendments to the application process. There is no guarantee that the City will authorize any commercial cannabis business to operate in the City.
C. The number of retailer-storefront permits shall be determined by population density of the City of Chico. For every 25,000 residents of the City, based on the most recent Population Estimates for Cities, Counties, and the State, conducted by the California Department of Finance, the City Council may authorize up to one retailer-storefront permit. The City Council shall from time to time, at its sole and absolute discretion, establish by resolution the number of retailer-storefront permits authorized for commercial cannabis businesses based on this formula.
D. No more than the number of cannabis retailers initially authorized herein to operate or as amended by resolution may operate within the City of Chico at any one time and shall be issued a permit by the City of Chico. At the time of the passage of this chapter, the maximum number of commercial cannabis businesses per classification citywide are as follows:
Retailer-Storefront - Four (4)
Retailer-Non-Storefront - No maximum
Testing laboratory - No maximum
Manufacturing - No maximum
Distribution - No maximum
E. Each year following the initial award of permits, if any, or at any time in the City Council’s discretion, the City Council may reassess the number of Commercial Cannabis Permits which are authorized for issuance. The City Council, in its discretion, may determine by resolution that the number of Commercial Cannabis Permits should remain the same, be reduced, or be increased.
F. A person may only have an ownership interest in one (1) retailer-storefront business in the City of Chico. Any person with community property rights of an ownership interest is considered a person with ownership interest in this section.
(Ord. 2552 §1, Ord. 2589 §2)