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Chico Overview
Chico, CA Code of Ordinances
CHICO MUNICIPAL CODE
THE CHARTER OF THE CITY OF CHICO
Title 1 GENERAL PROVISIONS
Title 2 ADMINISTRATION AND PERSONNEL
Title 3 REVENUE AND FINANCE
Title 4 (RESERVED)
Title 5 BUSINESS REGULATIONS1
Title 6 (RESERVED)
Title 7 ANIMALS
Title 8 HEALTH AND SANITATION1
Title 9 PUBLIC PEACE, SAFETY AND MORALS
Title 10 VEHICLES AND TRAFFIC
Title 11 AIRPORT1
Title 12 PARKS
Title 13 (RESERVED)
Title 14 STREETS AND SIDEWALKS
Title 15 UTILITY SERVICES
Title 16 BUILDINGS AND CONSTRUCTION1
Title 17 (RESERVED)
Title 18 SUBDIVISIONS
Title 19 LAND USE AND DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS1
DIVISION I. ENACTMENT AND APPLICABILITY
DIVISION II. ADMINISTRATION OF LAND USE AND DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS
DIVISION III. LAND USE AND DEVELOPMENT PERMIT PROCEDURES
DIVISION IV. ZONING DISTRICTS, ALLOWABLE LAND USES, AND ZONE-SPECIFIC
DIVISION V. SITE PLANNING AND GENERAL DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS
DIVISION VI. TND REGULATIONS
Title 2R ADMINISTRATION AND PERSONNEL AND EMPLOYEE RELATIONS RULES
Title 3R REVENUE AND FINANCE RULES AND PROCEDURES
Title 5R BUSINESS RULES AND REGULATIONS
Title 8R SOLID WASTE COLLECTION RULES
Title 10R VEHICLES AND TRAFFIC RULES AND PROCEDURES
Title 11R CHICO MUNICIPAL AIRPORT RULES AND REGULATIONS1
Title 12R RULES AND REGULATIONS OF BIDWELL PARK AND OTHER PARKS AND PLAYGROUNDS1
Title 14R BUILDING IN STREETS, SIDEWALKS AND PUBLIC PLACES
Title 15R WATER AND SEWERS
Title 16R BUILDING STANDARDS
Title 18R DESIGN CRITERIA AND IMPROVEMENT STANDARDS1
TABLES
Chico, CA Comprehensive Ordinance Table
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19.75.140   Operational Requirements- Commercial Cannabis Retailer - Storefront.
A.   On-site Supervision: All commercial cannabis storefront retailers shall have a manager on the premises at all times during hours of operation.
B.   Delivery Services. Storefront retailers also providing delivery shall comply with the operational requirements pertaining to Retailer - Delivery Only businesses in Section 19.75.150.
C.   Site Access. Entrances into the retailer storefront shall be controlled at all times with either security personnel or electronic/mechanical entry system. Adult use storefront retailers without medicinal cannabis sales shall verify the age of all customers to ensure persons under the age of 21 are not permitted on the premises. Adult use medicinal sales storefront retailers shall verify the age and possession of valid doctor’s recommendation of all customers to ensure persons under the age of 18 are not permitted on the premises.
D.   Medicinal Cannabis.
   a.   Commercial cannabis storefront retailers selling medicinal cannabis shall verify the age and all necessary documentation of each customer to ensure the customer is not under the age of 18 years and that the potential customer has a valid doctor’s recommendation;
   b.   Verify the identity and age of the qualified patient, primary caregiver, or customer receiving cannabis or cannabis products from the delivery only retailer; and
   c.   If a medicinal cannabis transaction,
      i.   Verify the validity of the qualified patient’s recommendation from a physician to use cannabis for medicinal purposes or primary caregiver’s status as a primary caregiver for the particular qualified patient, and
      ii.   Maintain a copy of the physician recommendation or Identification Card, as described in Health and Safety Code Sections 11362.71 through 11362.77, as may be amended from time to time, at its permitted business location for a period of not less than seven (7) years.
E.   Physician Evaluations Prohibited: No physician shall be allowed at any time to evaluate patients or customers for the issuance of a medicinal cannabis recommendation or medicinal cannabis identification card where applicable.
F.   Complimentary Promotions Prohibited. A non-medicinal cannabis storefront retailer may not give away, or donate specific devices, contrivances, instruments, or paraphernalia necessary for consuming cannabis products, including, but not limited to, rolling papers and related tools, pipes, water pipes, and vaporizers. A storefront retailer may not give away samples or cannabis products free of charge.
G.   Required Notifications. All cannabis storefront retailers shall notify qualified patients, primary caregivers, and customers (verbally or by written agreement) and by posting of a notice or notices conspicuously in at least 15-point type within the permitted premises that state the following:
   a.   “The sale or diversion of cannabis or cannabis products without a permit issued by the City of Chico is a violation of State law and the Chico City Code.”
   b.   “Secondary sale, barter, or distribution of cannabis or cannabis products purchased from a permittee is a crime and can lead to arrest.”
   c.   “Patrons must not loiter in or near these premises and may not consume cannabis or cannabis products in the vicinity of this business or in any place not lawfully permitted. These premises and vicinity are monitored to ensure compliance.”
   d.   “Warning: the use of cannabis or cannabis products may impair a person’s ability to drive a motor vehicle or operate heavy machinery.”
   e.   “CALIFORNIA PROP. 65 WARNING: Smoking of cannabis and cannabis- derived products will expose you and those in your immediate vicinity to cannabis smoke. Cannabis smoke is known by the State of California to cause cancer.”
H.   Location of Products. All cannabis concentrate inhaled products, including but not limited to, dabs, shatter, budder, wax, and butane hash oil, shall be stored behind the retail counter and out of the reach of customers at all times except when being handled by an employee during a sales transaction.
I.   Added Artificial Flavor Prohibited. Retailers shall not sell cannabis products which contain an added characterizing flavor. For purposes of this Chapter, “characterizing flavor” means a taste or aroma, other than the taste or aroma of cannabis, imparted either prior to or during consumption. This includes, but is not limited to, tastes or aromas relating to food or drink of any sort; menthol; mint; wintergreen; fruit; chocolate; vanilla; honey; candy; cocoa; dessert; alcoholic beverages; herbs; or spices. Flavor agents consisting of terpenes of cannabis shall not be considered an added characterizing flavor. Such prohibition shall not apply to cannabis products which are manufactured as edible or topical products.
J.   Educational Materials. A cannabis storefront retailer shall provide written educational materials to all customers:
   a.   Regarding each product sold, with information regarding the name and type of product, instructions for use, and expected effects.
   b.   Regarding all edible cannabis products and cannabis concentrate products sold to a customer, which shall include information on safe storage and use of the product, warnings against child access and exposure to the product, and warnings of potential side effects concerning brain development of individuals under the age of twenty-five years and potential harm to pregnant women.
K.   Training Required: A cannabis storefront retailer shall require all employees who interact with public customers, as well as all management staff, to complete training to ensure competency of employees for their assigned functions within the first year of the retailers’ first year of operation, and within one year of each employee’s hire date thereafter. The retailer shall maintain records showing completion of each employee’s training for a period of two years and provide such records to the City Manager or his/her designee upon request.
(Ord. 2553; Ord. 2589 §4)
19.75.150   Operational Requirements- Commercial Cannabis Retailer-Delivery Only.
A.   Point of Sale System. A cannabis delivery retailer shall facilitate the dispensing of cannabis or cannabis products with a technology platform owned by or licensed to the delivery retailer that uses point-of-sale technology to track and database technology to record and store the following information for each transaction involving the exchange of cannabis or cannabis products between the applicant and qualified patient, primary caregiver, or customer:
   a.   The identity of the individual dispensing cannabis or cannabis products on behalf of the permittee;
   b.   The identity of the qualified patient, primary caregiver, or customer receiving cannabis or cannabis products from the permittee;
   c.   The type and quantity of cannabis or cannabis products dispensed and received; and
   d.   The gross receipts charged by the licensee and received by the individual dispensing cannabis or cannabis products on behalf of the permittee for the cannabis or cannabis products dispensed and received.
B.   Security Plan. Security plans developed pursuant to this Chapter shall include provisions relating to vehicle security and the protection of employees and product during loading and in transit.
(Ord. 2553; Ord. 2589 §4)
19.75.160   Operational Requirements- Commercial Cannabis Manufacturer.
A.   Visibility of Manufacturing Processes. From a public right-of-way, there shall be no exterior evidence of cannabis manufacturing allowed on the premises, except for any signage authorized by this Code.
B.   Use of compressed gas. Any compressed gases used in the manufacturing process shall be approved by the Fire Chief. Any compressed gases shall not be stored on any property within the City of Chico in containers that exceed the amount approved by the Fire Chief. Each site or parcel subject to a Commercial Cannabis Permit shall be limited to a total number of tanks as authorized by the Fire Chief on the property at any time.
C.   Use of solvents. Any solvents used in the manufacturing process shall be approved by the Fire Chief. Cannabis Manufacturers using solvents or gases for extraction shall use N-butane, isobutane, propane, or heptane, or other solvents or gases exhibiting low to minimal potential human-related toxicity approved by the Fire Chief. These solvents must be of at least ninety-nine percent purity and procedures showing that any extraction process must use them in a professional grade closed loop extraction system designed to recover the solvents and work in an environment with proper ventilation, controlling all sources of ignition where a flammable atmosphere is or may be present.
D.   Use of Gas Extraction Systems. If an extraction process uses a professional grade closed loop CO2 gas extraction system, every vessel must be certified by the manufacturer for its safe use.
   a.   Closed loop systems for compressed gas extraction systems must be commercially manufactured and bear a permanently affixed and visible serial number.
   b.   Certification from an engineer licensed by the State of California must be provided to the Fire Chief for a professional grade closed loop system used by any commercial cannabis manufacturer to certify that the system was commercially manufactured, is safe for its intended use, and was built to codes of recognized and generally accepted good engineering practices, including but not limited to:
      i.   The American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME);
      ii.   American National Standards Institute (ANSI);
      iii.   Underwriters Laboratories (UL); or
      iv.   The American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM).
   c.   Certification document must contain the signature and stamp of the professional engineer and serial number of the extraction unit being certified.
E.   Fire Chief Approval. Professional closed loop systems, other equipment used, the extraction operation, and all related facilities must be approved for their use by the Fire Department and meet any required fire, safety, and building code requirements specified in Building and Fire Codes, as adopted by the City.
F.   Approved Non-solvent/gas Manufacturing Methods. Cannabis Manufacturers may use:
   a.   Heat, screens, presses, steam distillation, ice water, and other methods without employing solvents or gases to create kief, hashish, bubble hash, or infused dairy butter, or oils or fats derived from natural sources, and other extracts.
   b.   Food grade glycerin, ethanol, and propylene glycol solvents to create or refine extracts.
G.   Ethanol Recapture. Ethanol shall be removed from all extracts in a manner to recapture the solvent and ensure that it is not vented into the atmosphere.
H.   Procedures and Protocols. Cannabis Manufacturers creating cannabis extracts must develop standard operating procedures, good manufacturing practices, and a training plan prior to producing extracts for the marketplace.
I.   Training. Any person using solvents or gases in a closed looped system to create cannabis extracts must be fully trained on how to use the system, must have direct access to applicable material safety data sheets and handle and store the solvents and gases safely. Training materials and records shall be presented to the City upon request.
J.   Assurance Testing. Parts per million for one gram of finished extract cannot exceed State standards for any residual solvent or gas when quality assurance tested.
K.   Added Artificial Flavor Prohibited. Cannabis manufacturers shall not manufacture cannabis products which contain an added characterizing flavor. For purposes of this Chapter, “characterizing flavor” means a taste or aroma, other than the taste or aroma of cannabis, imparted either prior to or during consumption. This includes, but is not limited to, tastes or aromas relating to food or drink of any sort; menthol; mint; wintergreen; fruit; chocolate; vanilla; honey; candy; cocoa; dessert; alcoholic beverages; herbs; or spices. Flavor agents consisting of cannabis terpenes shall not be considered an added characterizing flavor. Such prohibition shall not apply to cannabis products which are manufactured as edible or topical products.
L.   Annual California Fire Code Operational Permit. Cannabis manufacturers shall obtain annually and keep current at all times a Fire Code Operational Permit.
M.   Sprinkler System. An automatic sprinkler system shall be installed throughout all buildings containing cannabis manufacturing uses, including but not limited to oil extraction operations and cannabis-infused product kitchens/bakeries.
N.   Fire Alarm System. An automatic fire alarm system shall be provided through building containing cannabis manufacturing uses, including but not limited to oil extraction operations and cannabis-infused product kitchens/bakeries. The installed fire alarm system shall meet the requirements of emergency voice/alarm communication systems required by the California Fire Code and shall be designed and installed in accordance with National Fire Protection Association standards.
O.   Fire Department Access. A key box shall be installed at an approved location to allow immediate access to the premises in the event of an emergency for life-saving and fire-fighting purposes, due to the potential hazards associated with manufacturing facilities. The box shall be of an approved type listed in accordance with UL 1037 and shall contain keys to gain necessary access as required by the fire code official.
(Ord. 2553; Ord. 2589 §4)
19.75.170   Operational Requirements- Commercial Cannabis Distributor.
A.   Visibility. From a public right-of-way, there shall be no exterior evidence of cannabis distribution except for any signage authorized by this Code.
B.   Tamper Resistant Packaging. A cannabis distributor shall only procure, sell, or transport cannabis or cannabis products that are packaged and sealed in tamper-evident packaging that uses a unique identifier, such as a batch and lot number or bar code, to identify and track the cannabis or cannabis products.
C.   Recyclable Materials. A cannabis distributor shall minimize materials that are non-recyclable or non-reusable.
D.   Distribution Personnel.
   a.   A cannabis distributor shall maintain a database and provide a list of individuals and vehicles authorized to conduct transportation on behalf of the permittee, pursuant to the Commercial Cannabis Permit, within the City.
   b.   Individuals authorized to conduct transportation on behalf of the cannabis distributor shall have a current and valid California Driver’s License.
   c.   During transportation, the individual conducting transportation on behalf of the cannabis distributor shall maintain a copy of the Commercial Cannabis Permit and shall make it available upon the request of agents or employees of the City requesting documentation.
E.      Distribution Vehicle. Cannabis or cannabis products shall be transported only in a vehicle that is:
   a.   Insured at or above the legal requirement in California,
   b.   Capable of securing (locking) the cannabis or cannabis products during transportation, and
   c.   Capable of being temperature controlled if perishable cannabis products are being transported.
(Ord. 2553; Ord. 2589 §4)
19.75.180   Operational Requirements- Commercial Cannabis Testing Laboratory.
A.   Cannabis testing shall take place within an enclosed building.
B.   From a public right-of-way, there shall be no exterior evidence of cannabis testing except for any signage authorized by this Code.
C.   All cannabis testing shall be performed in accordance with State law.
D.   A cannabis testing laboratory shall adopt a standard operating procedure using methods consistent with general requirements established by the International Organization for Standardization, specifically ISO/IEC 17025, to test cannabis and cannabis products, and shall operate in compliance with the law.
E.   A cannabis testing laboratory shall be accredited by a body that is a signatory to the International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation Mutual Recognition Agreement.
F.   A cannabis testing laboratory shall establish standard operating procedures that provide for adequate chain of custody controls for samples transferred to the testing laboratory for testing.
G.   A cannabis testing laboratory shall destroy the remains of samples of any cannabis or cannabis product upon completion of analyses. Destruction shall be done in a manner compliant with State law and regulations.
H.   Any testing that requires the use of solvents, compressed gas, or gas extraction systems for extraction must comply with the requirements for manufacturers in Section 19.75.160.B-I Operational Requirements-Cannabis Manufacturers.
(Ord. 2553; Ord. 2589 §4)