Staff Report
City Council
Item No. 5.A
Meeting Date: July 22, 2026
From: Erick Becerril, Economic Development Manager
Title: Adopt A Resolution Authorizing the City Manager and Financial Services Director to act as the Official Designees for the Proposition 64 Public Health and Safety Grant Program
RECOMMENDATION:
To adopt a Resolution identifying the City Manager and Financial Services Director to act as the official designees to accept the grant from the Proposition 64 Public Health and Safety Grant Program and authorize the City Manager and Financial Services Director to execute any and all documents related to the grant.
BACKGROUND:
In February 2026, the Board of State and Community Corrections (BSCC) released the Proposition 64 Cohort 4 Request for Proposals making $125 million available to California cities and counties to assist with law enforcement, fire protection, or other local programs addressing public health and safety associated with the implementation of the Control, Regulate and Tax Adult Use of Marijuana Act. Successful applicants are under agreement with the BSCC from July 1, 2026, to December 31, 2031, which includes five years for service delivery and an additional six months to complete evaluation requirements. The application period closed March 30, 2026. Cathedral City submitted an application prior to the deadline requesting $4,500,000 in grant funding.
On June 25, 2026 the BSCC Board approved the City’s application for $4,500,000 in grant funding.
DISCUSSION:
The City of Cathedral City submitted a comprehensive, multi-department application to the Proposition 64 Public Safety and Enforcement program that addresses the significant public safety, public health, youth protection, and environmental impacts generated by one of the largest cannabis industry clusters in California. The departments participating in the development of the grant application included the Police Department, Fire Department, Finance Department, and Code Compliance and Economic Development divisions.
With more than 60 licensed cannabis businesses, and illicit market activity, the City faces escalating challenges including hazardous materials incidents, illegal operations, odor impacts, youth exposure risks, and high regulatory demand. Between 2021 and 2025, Cathedral City Fire & EMS responded to 38 cannabis-related emergencies, including three hazmat events requiring multi-agency intervention, and conducted 727 cannabis inspections.
The Cathedral City Police Department (CCPD) has investigated 336 cannabis-related crimes in the past 3 years. Odor complaints increased to 500 in a six-month period between May and November in 2025 and are still ongoing, with 67% of those complaints concentrated near residential areas. CCPD continues to uncover unlicensed grows, unsafe extraction sites, and illegal sales operations that exploit the scale of the legal market.
Cathedral City’s plan to address the illicit market consists of a four-pronged approach:
1. Public Safety & Enforcement
oHazardous Materials Quick Response Vehicle (QRV) and associated hazmat supplies, PPE, training, and equipment to provide rapid, local response to cannabis-related chemical hazards
oMobile electronic citation system (Dataticket printers + iPads) to modernize cannabis enforcement, reduce errors, and allow inspectors to access licensing data in real time
oHigh-end detective computers to support digital investigations into illegal cannabis sales, diversion, and unlicensed operations
oCitywide surveillance cameras and two additional drones to deter illegal cannabis use and sales and support investigations into illicit operations oA tactical vehicle and associated tactical team PPE to safely intercede in high- risk illicit facilities
oIncreased personnel overtime and one dedicated temporary Code Compliance inspector to expand cannabis enforcement capacity
2. Public Health
oPortable gas detection monitors to promote safe response to extraction and cultivation facilities
oEnvironmental monitoring network of three weather stations to track odor dispersion, identify likely sources, and support enforcement oEnvirosuite modeling tools to analyze odor patterns, backward trajectories, and environmental conditions
3. Youth Development/Prevention
oCameras throughout the City to prevent cannabis use and sales in youth-serving areas
oEnforcement technology and proactive inspections to reduce illegal cannabis activity near youth recreation spaces
oSchool engagement, education, and interventions by CCPD’s School Resource Officers will also help prevent underage youth cannabis use or misuse.
4. Environmental Impacts
oESRI GeoEvent Server + GNSS receivers to map cannabis sites, track environmental data, and support compliance verification (also enforcement) oOdor complaint reporting system integrated with weather and GIS data to identify patterns and validate community concerns
As part of the grant requirements, a Resolution from the City Council is required before contract execution. As part of the Resolution, delegated signing authority must be granted.
Staff recommends granting this signing authority to the City Manager and Director of Financial Services to accept the grant and execute any necessary documents.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The City will receive $4,500,000 in grant funding from the State of California, BSCC Corrections Planning and Grant Programs (CPGP) Division.
FISCAL
YEAR DESCRIPTION
GENERAL
LEDGER
ACCOUNT
CODES
PROJECT
CODE AMOUNT ONE TIME or
ONGOING
2026-2027 Prop 64 Grant
Revenue
249-900-910-
911-6700-6731 G0XXXX $4,500,000 One Time
2026-2027 Prop 64 Grant
Expense
249-900-910-
911-8XXX-8XXX G0XXXX $4.500,000 One Time
FIVE-YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN:
Goal E-2: Continue to explore and utilize technology to promote public safety.
Goal E-3: Continue Police, Fire, and Expand Code Compliance engagement with the community.
Goal E-6: Implement community engagement and public education initiatives to increase awareness regarding public safety programs, services, and results of proactive community policing efforts.
Goal E-10: Keep the City Council apprised of changes to the Code Enforcement program.
Goal F-10: Review and update, as needed, our ordinances, policies, and practices regarding cannabis.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Attachment: Resolution 2026-XX
2. Award Letter
3. Prop 64 Budget Attachment
4. Recommendation Email
5. Awardee Email