#25
Switzer, Donna
From: Yoon-Taylor, Grace on behalf of Cannabis
Sent: Tuesday, November 1, 2022 3:30 PM
To: [email protected]; Esparza, Patty; Moore, Tania Cc: Beckman, Hayden
Subject: FW: Regulation Written Comments - Cannabis
Came in today via [email protected]
From: Michael Bustillo-Sakhai <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, November 1, 2022 11:58 AM
To: Cannabis <[email protected]>
Subject: Regulation Written Comments
Hi, I know this may be late. I wanted to submit my public comments to the city council. I plan to present them orally, but this is just in case there is limited time for public comment.
HB City Council Cannabis Public Comment
1, a local homeowner, am attending here today to support the city council's efforts to legalize and regulate cannabis businesses in Huntington Beach. Cannabis use is very common and popular throughout all of California. The city is making some good decisions and bad decisions within its regulatory framework.
The city does not need to be afraid of the presence of cannabis commerce within city limits. Arbitrary restrictions that limit the presence of businesses are detrimental to the city's goal of collecting revenue from cannabis commerce and to the public perception of cannabis use. Ten retail permits may be a good start, but should not be a hard cap on the amount of retailers within the city because demand for legal cannabis products is very high. People want these businesses and want a diversity of choice when selecting from where to purchase products and what kind of business to operate. The kinds of businesses that are being permitted are limited to the degree that they will not allow for an environment of entrepreneurial creativity and small businesses to thrive. Microbusinesses are an opportunity for folks without significant capital or business experience to start a cannabis business and provide boutique products. Outdoor cultivation should be allowed as it creates a product that consumers prefer to flowers produced under indoor synthetic lights. Cannabis events can be safe, fun and inviting so that people can see there is little harm to be had from cannabis.
Limiting the convenience of drive-through ordering is nonsensical. Cannabis customers should be able to limit their interaction with other folks as we are still living through the global pandemic of COVID-19. These restrictions are bad for a competitive and creative business environment.
Geographic restrictions will also have a negative effect. I do not understand why the city has prohibited cannabis businesses in the downtown and coastal retail zones. Maybe to appease wealthy landowners? Maybe the city council thinks these kinds of legal, regulated, popular, and safe businesses bring shame to the city, so they ought to be kept away from its prime real estate? If either of these are true, they are backwards ways of thinking. All types of folks enjoy the beachfront, including cannabis consumers. So, why must these types of products not be sold there? I guarantee businesses located here would provide immense tax revenue and foster a positive perspective of these businesses as being beneficial for our city. Some folks think these businesses are undesirable, create problems for neighbors, and are unsafe to be around, but all of these are not true. The security measures imposed as part of the new regulations will allow for functions as safe as any other business permitted to operate within the city. If folks can get drunk and belligerent at an establishment in either the downtown or other coastal areas, why should a responsible adult not be able to buy cannabis 1 products during a beach visit? Tourists, residents, and neighbors, 1 am sure, will enjoy the convenience and accessibility of legal cannabis in a beautiful beachfront setting. Please also consider utilizing the state minimum requirements for setbacks from 'sensitive uses' when siting cannabis businesses. All this does is reduce the total number of available locations for commerce which is redundant if the city will limit the number of available retail permits anyway.
On a related note, the city council must adopt an ordinance to allow personal outdoor cultivation of cannabis on private property. Growing cannabis outdoors within the limits of state law is a beneficial use of land for private landowners and is not a nuisance to neighbors. The city allows for homeowners to smoke tobacco products on their premises, which is a great nuisance to neighbors and also has documented negative health effects as a result of secondhand smoke. This is a common sense ordinance that allows homeowners greater freedom in how they utilize their property without negatively impacting neighbors. --
Michael Bustillo-Sakhai, MS, PE
Email: [email protected]
Cell: (323) 307 6912
Linkedin
2 #25
Switzer, Donna
From: Fikes, Cathy
Sent: Wednesday, November 2, 2022 11:19 AM
To: Agenda Alerts
Subject: FW: Cannabis wait on vote need public input
-----Original Message-----
From: Dennis Pappas <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, November 1, 2022 1:39 PM
To: CITY COUNCIL < [email protected]>
Subject: Cannabis wait on vote need public input
Dear City Council, Please wait to vote and approve Cannabis in HB. Please give time for public input. This is a huge decision and will affect our city immeasurably and in a negative way. Please consider stopping the vote and involving the public in the conversation. Wait for new council. Patricia Pappas Sent from my iPhone
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