A. The review of Commercial Cannabis Permits in the City of Chico shall take two forms:
(1) Competitive Permit: Review, scoring and selection of applications for those permits with limited number to be issued, which are submitted timely and complete, shall be comprised of four (4) phases:
Phase I: Determination of Eligibility (Application Submittal Requirements)
Phase II: Criteria Evaluation and Scoring
A. Application Review and Ranking
B. Interviews and Ranking
Phase III: City Manager Hearing
Phase IV: Final Selection by City Manager and Confirmation of Permit
(2) Non-Competitive Permit: Review, scoring and selection of applications for those permits without a limited number to be issued will be conducted in three (3) phases:
Phase I: Determination of Eligibility (Application Submittal Requirements)
Phase II: Criteria Evaluation and Recommendation
Phase III: Final Review by City Manager and Awarding of Permit
B. A complete description of the merit-based system and all merit-based considerations shall be included with the application forms.
C. The City Manager, or their designee, may promulgate additional rules or policies to establish supplemental or more detailed scoring categories, with respective scoring points, under any one or all of the criteria listed herein above, prior to the commencement of the City accepting any applications.
D. To the extent criminal background checks are not able to be completed during Phase I, they will be completed prior to the issuance of a permit.
E. The City Manager shall appoint staff or other designee to review all application documents required in the city’s Phase I and Phase II processes. Such staff or designee shall review each application package and the background check of all applicants and owners, and shall individually score each application in accordance with the scoring system established herein by the City Council.
F. The most qualified applicants who are eligible to operate a Retail Storefront cannabis business in the City during Phase II will be recommended to the City Manager for a final determination at a public administrative decision hearing at a date and time set by the City Manager. The number of applicants of competitive permits allowed to process for consideration of zoning clearance shall not exceed the number of available Retail Storefront cannabis business permits than available. However, the City reserves the right to award a lesser number of cannabis business permits than there are applicants, or to award no permits at all.
G. An applicant who is deemed most qualified during Phase II is not guaranteed any particular result in the application process, nor in any zoning review process.
H. Notice of the results of Phase II will be provided in writing to each applicant and they will be notified whether they will be moving forward in the application process.
I. The City Manager or their designee(s) shall process applications to ensure compliance with any or all of the phases of the application review process for competitive licenses and non- competitive licenses as set forth in this Chapter.
J. Notwithstanding anything in this Chapter to the contrary, the City reserves the right to reject any or all applications for competitive licenses, at any time during the application process if it determines it would be in the best interest of the City, taking into account the health, safety and welfare of the community.
(Res. No. 45-20 §1 (part), Ord. 2589 §3)