SALINAS PLANNING COMMISSION
RESOLUTION NO. 2026-05
RESOLUTION UPHOLDING SELECTION COMMITTEE DENIAL OF
COMMERCIAL CANNABIS PERMIT 2025-004 TO AMEND COMMERCIAL CANNABIS PERMIT 2024-009 TO RELOCATE FROM 1610 MOFFETT STREET TO 2033 NORTH MAIN STREET IN THE COMMERCIAL RETAIL - WEST BORONDA ROAD AT U.S. 101 GATEWAY OVERLAY (CR-GW-1) ZONING DISTRICT (CCP 2025-004)
WHEREAS, on November 21, 2025, the Applicant, Emerald Skyway LLC (doing business as "Valley Farms") applied for a Major Amendment to Commercial Cannabis Permit 2024-009, known as Commercial Cannabis Permit 2025-004, to relocate an existing Cannabis Dispensary with accessory Delivery and Distribution from 1610 Moffett Street to 2033 North Main Street; and
WHEREAS, on April 13, 2026, the Selection Committee denied Commercial Cannabis Permit 2025-004 due to the proposed location (2033 North Main Street) being within one thousand (1,000) feet of a school (Santa Rita Elementary School- 2014 Santa Rita Street, Salinas), measured parcel to parcel; and
WHEREAS, on April 21, 2026, the Applicant, pursuant to Municipal Code Section 5-
07.10, submitted a timely appeal of the Selection Committee's April 13, 2026 denial to the Planning Commission; and
WHEREAS, on June 3, 2026, the Salinas Planning Commission, at the request of the Applicant, held a duly noticed public hearing to consider the appeal of the Selection Committee's April 13, 2026 denial of Commercial Cannabis Permit 2025-004; and WHEREAS, the Planning Commission weighed the evidence presented at said public hearing, including the Staff Report which is on file at the Community Development Department together with the record of environmental review; and
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Salinas Planning Commission that it upholds the Selection Committee's April 13, 2026 denial and denies Commercial Cannabis Permit 2025-004; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Salinas Planning Commission adopts the following findings as the basis for its determination, and that the foregoing recitations are true and correct, and are included herein by reference as findings:
1. The City of Salinas has determined that the proposed action is not a project as defined by the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) (CEQA Guidelines Section 15378). In addition, CEQA Guidelines Section 15061 includes the general rule that CEQA applies only to activities which have the potential for causing a significant effect on the environment. Where it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the activity in question may have a significant effect on the environment, the activity is not subject to CEQA. Because the proposed action and this matter have no potential to cause any effect on the environment, or because it falls within a category of activities excluded as projects pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15378, this matter is not a project. Because the matter does not cause a direct or foreseeable indirect physical change on or in the Planning Commission Resolution 2026-05
Commercial Cannabis Permit 2025-004
environment, this matter is not a project. Any subsequent discretionary projects resulting from this action will be assessed for CEQA applicability.
For the Commercial Cannabis Permit (Dispensary):
2. Pursuant to City Code Section 5-07.09(a)(2), the Planning Commission determines the following:
a. The new site is located within the sensitive distances specified in City Code Section 5-07.27, and no exception has been approved pursuant to this Section; No exception has been approved by the Planning Commission because the project site is located within 1,000 feet of sensitive uses pursuant to Municipal Code Section 5-07.27(a). Pursuant to Municipal Code Section 5-07.27(a)(1), the site is located within 1,000 feet of a school (Santa Rita School, at 2014 Santa Rita Street).
Pursuant to Municipal Code Section 5-07.27(a)(4), the site is also located within 1,000 feet of locations of where alcohol is sold for individual consumption on or off the premises, and a smoke shop.
b. The relocation of the new site would create significant negative impacts greater than those existing at the original site;
The project site is located within 1,000 feet of sensitive uses pursuant to Municipal Code Section 5-07.27(a). Pursuant to Municipal Code Section 5-07.27(a)(1), the site is located within 1,000 feet of a school (Santa Rita School, at 2014 Santa Rita Street). In addition, pursuant to Municipal Code Section 5-07.27(a)(4), the site is also located within 1,000 feet of locations of where alcohol is sold for individual consumption on or off the premises, and a smoke shop. Because the site is located within an area of sensitive uses pursuant to Municipal Code Section 5-07.27(a), the relocation would create significant negative impacts greater than those existing at the original site of 1610 Moffett Street.
c. The proposed location is located in an appropriate Zoning District for the proposed use; and
The proposed Cannabis Dispensary with accessory Delivery and Distribution is considered a retail use, which is permitted in the Commercial Retail - West Boronda Road at U.S. 101 Gateway Overlay (CR-GW-1) Zoning District.
Owners of real property located within 300-feet of the proposed site have been notified and have had the opportunity to provide information to the City regarding the proposed site.
City staff mailed public hearing notices to all property owners within 300-feet of the project site and interested parties and posted notices on May 20, 2026. The public hearing notice was published in the Monterey Herald on May 23, 2026.
Planning Commission Resolution 2026-05
Commercial Cannabis Permit 2025-004
PASSED AND APPROVED this 3" day of June 2026, by the following vote:
AYES: Chairperson McKelvey Daye, Commissioners Guiterrez, Purnell, Wruck NOES: Commissioner Flores
ABSTAIN: Commissioner Rocamora
ABSENT: Commissioner Mora
THIS IS TO CERTIFY that the foregoing is a full, true, and correct copy of a Resolution of the Planning Commission of the City of Salinas, that said Resolution was passed and approved by the affirmative and majority vote of said Planning Commission at a meeting held on June 3, 2026, and that said Resolution has not been modified, amended, or rescinded, and is now in full force and effect.
SALINAS PLANNING COMMISSION
Date: 6/10/220
Courtney Grossman
Secretary
I:\ComDev/Planning Share SpacelCannabis Permits\CCP 2025-004 Emerald Skyway-Valley Farms\PC Resolution 2026-05.docx