City Attorney’s Office
3750 university ave., ste. 250
Riverside, CA 92501
((951) 826-5567
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RESOLUTION NO.
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF RIVERSIDE,
CALIFORNIA, ADOPTING TH E TESTING LABORATORIES
COMMERCIAL CANNABIS BUSI NESS PERMIT PROCEDURE
GUIDELINES.
WHEREAS, Article XI, Section 7 of the Cali fornia Constitution authorizes cities to make and enforce within their jurisdictional limits ordinances and regulations not in conflict with general laws to protect and promote the public health, safety, and welfare of its citizens; and
WHEREAS, on November 8, 2016, California voters approved Proposition 64, titled the Adult Use of Marijuana Act (the "AUMA") and enacted a state statutory scheme legalizing, controlling, and regulating the cultivation, processing, manufacturing, distribution, testing, and sale of nonme dical ("adult-use" or "recreational") cannabis, including cannabis, products, for use by adults twenty-one (21) years of age and older; and WHEREAS, on June 27, 2017, the Medical and Adult Use Cannabis Regulation and Safety Act ("MAUCRSA") was signed into law, which provides a comprehensive regulatory framework for licensing, control, and taxation of medical and adult-use cannabis-related businesses in California; and
WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of Riverside ("City Council") desires to establish a strong and effective regulatory system with regard to cannabis businesses that protects the public health, safety and envi ronmental resources, provides a consistent regulatory pathway for the canna bis industry consistent with state regulations, fosters a healthy, diverse and economica lly viable cannabis industry th at contributes to the local economy, and ensures that environmental, public health, safety and nuisance factors related to the cannabis industry are adequately addressed; and
WHEREAS, in furtherance of these goa ls, on February 28, 2023, the City Council introduced and on March 14, 2023, adopted Ordinance 7628, amending Title 5 (Business Taxes, Licenses and Regulations) of the Riverside Municipal Code ("RMC") and replacing Item No.: 37b
City Attorney’s Office
3750 university ave., ste. 250
Riverside, CA 92501
((951) 826-5567
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Chapter 5.77 (Cannabis Business Activities) in its entirety, Ordinance 7629 amending Title 9 (Peace, Safety and Morals) of the RMC, and Ordinance 7630 amending Title 19 (Zoning) of the RMC; and
WHEREAS, Chapter 5.77 of the RMC regulates Cannabis Business Activities in the City of Riverside, including the types of businesses and maximum number permitted within the City, including up to 14 storefront retail co mmercial cannabis businesses as well as an unlimited number of manufacturing, distribution, and testing laboratories; and WHEREAS, pursuant to RMC Section 5.77.130(A), the City Council is required to adopt, by resolution, procedure guidelines and review criteria for permitting commercial cannabis businesses; and
WHEREAS, the City has yet to adopt a procedure for the application or issuance of a permit to operate testing laboratory commercial cannabis businesses; and WHEREAS, the City Council desires to adopt the rules and regulations entitled Test Laboratories Commercial Cannabis Business Permit Procedure Gu idelines, as set forth in Exhibit “A” attached hereto and incorporated herein.
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Riverside, as follows:
Section 1: That the above recitals are found to be true and correct and are hereby incorporated as if stated in full.
Section 2: The Test Laboratories Comme rcial Cannabis Business Permit Procedure Guidelines attached hereto as Exhibit “A” an d incorporated herein, are hereby adopted by the City Council.
Section 3: Authorize the City Manager, or designee, to make minor, non-substantive changes, clarifications , and revisions to the Test Laboratories Commerc ial Cannabis Business Permit Procedure Guidelines as deemed necessary to facili tate the orderly and efficient implementation of any retail commercial cannabis business permit application.
Section 4: The City hereby finds that this resolution is not subject to review under the
City Attorney’s Office
3750 university ave., ste. 250
Riverside, CA 92501
((951) 826-5567
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California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines sections 15061, subdivision (b)(3) (there is no possibility the activity in question may have a significant effect on the environment).
Section 5: The provisions of this re solution shall be operative upon adoption.
ADOPTED by the City Council this ____ day of ________________, 2025.
_________________________________
P A T R I C I A L O C K D A W S O N
Mayor of the City of Riverside
Attest:
____________________________
DONESIA GAUSE
City Clerk of the City of Riverside
I, Donesia Gause, City Clerk of the City of Riverside, Califo rnia, hereby certify that the foregoing resolution was duly and regularly adopted at a meeting of the City Council of said City at its meeting held on the ___ day of _______________, 2025, by the following vote, to wit:
Ayes:
Noes:
Absent:
Abstain:
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the official seal of the City of Riverside, California, this ___ day ____________________, 2025.
_____________________________
DONESIA GAUSE
City Clerk of the City of Riverside
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