City Council/Successor Agency Minutes of 7/12/22 Page 1 of 3 Final Minutes Approved August 2, 2022
MINUTES
CUDAHY CITY COUNCIL SPECIAL MEETING and
CITY OF CUDAHY AS SUCCESSOR AGENCY and
HOUSING SUCCESSOR AGENCY TO THE CUDAHY
DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION JOINT MEETING
July 12, 2022 6:30 P.M.
1. CALL TO ORDER
Mayor / Chair Alcantar called the meeting to order at 6:37 p.m.
2. ROLL CALL
PRESENT: Council / Agency Member Blanca Lozoya
Council / Agency Member Daisy Lomelí
Vice Mayor / Vice Chair Jose R. Gonzalez (arrived at 6:41 p.m.) Mayor / Chair Elizabeth Alcantar
ABSENT: Council / Agency Member Jack M. Guerrero
ALSO PRESENT: City Manager, Alfonso Noyola, Deputy City Attorney, Stephanie Arechiga, City Clerk, Richard Iglesias, Finance Director, Joshua Calhoun, Director of Administrative Services, Brenda Rodriguez, and Community Development Director, Juan Arauz.
3. PUBLIC COMMENTS
Susie commented on the "The Cudahy Marijuana Retail Sales Regulation and Taxation Measure," hoping it be avoided by providing a ballot measure that counters it, ensuring that dispensaries are not allowed in residential areas near schools, parks, churches, and mentioned she found it difficult to invite people to the meeting due to information not being clear.
Gerardo Hernandez commented that he agrees with the previous speaker, having a ballot measure for the public to decide whether they want this to go forward, mentioning that if there are marijuana dispensaries, they should not be in residential areas near public schools and churches, believing it to be a place for minors to find loopholes to get ahold of these products, and the information promoting the council meeting not being clear.
Emanuel commented on having better accessibility to the Council meeting, agreed with previous speakers that if there were to be dispensaries in the city, they should not be in residential areas, being something residents should vote on, and mentioned there is no information on current cannabis operators.
Deputy City Attorney clarified that there is a resident ballot initiative before the Council, stating that the purpose of this meeting is for Council to decide whether Council wants City Council/Successor Agency Minutes of 7/12/22 Page 2 of 3 to draft their own initiative and get feedback from the residents on what they want the council lead initiative to say. Mayor Alcantar provided more feedback and background on what the Deputy City Attorney stated.
Tevina Q reiterated what other speakers had said about the accessibility to the Council meeting and mentioned when Council comes up with an initiative that, it needs to be clear to the public where the dispensaries will be, not wanting a dispenser accessible near her daughter, wanting to know where the money from cultivators is.
Gustavo Mendez commented on the difficulty of joining the special meeting and factors to consider about the cannabis ordeal, mentioned many of which being access to information, and gave an example of the planning commission asking for a current budget review for existing cannabis establishments and not being made a priority making it challenging to understand due to not having the information requested, calling for transparency.
Reina mentioned she will join the next meeting to speak about the rent control issue.
Finance Director addressed one of the public comments.
4. BUSINESS SESSION
Initiative "The Cudahy Marijuana Retail Sales Regulation and Taxation Measure" Workshop
Presented by the City Manager and City Attorney
City Council led workshop on the initiative "The Cudahy Marijuana Retail Sales Regulation and Taxation Measure.”
City Council provided suggestions and direction to staff to draft City measure; no action taken.
Mayor Alcantar requested for Public Comment to be reopened with Councilmembers agreeing.
Susie thanked the council for considering the community's comments, wanting to know if the tax is being considered to be increased to five percent, concerned it is not enough and reiterated her earlier comments, asked to consider the Atlantic Corridor, and check what other cities' tax rate is.
Edin Enamorado voiced his concern regarding the measure having jurisdiction to build anywhere, the city having leisure on lots on Atlantic and Patata, not wanting people and businesses to be displaced, and other concern is invasions of dispensaries bring a lot of attention.
Cecilia Barajas expressed her gratefulness for Council trying to find the best for the city.
She commented that many people who signed the measure were deceived, people canvassing door to door, stating we do not need marijuana.
City Council/Successor Agency Minutes of 7/12/22 Page 3 of 3
5. ADJOURNMENT
Vice Mayor Gonzalez motioned to adjourn the City Council / Agency meeting at 7:55 p.m., seconded by Council Member Lomelí. Motion passed 4-0-1 by the following roll call vote:
AYES: Lozoya, Lomelí, Gonzalez, and Alcantar
NOES: None
ABSENT: Guerrero
ABSTAIN: None
Elizabeth Alcantar
Mayor
ATTEST:
Richard Iglesias
City Clerk