Join us for the 2nd Community Benefits Workshop on February 27th, 2024, at 6pm, to be held at the City Hall Chambers, located at 220 East Mountain View St!
The City is hosting a workshop to invite public participation in the decision-making process for identifying and prioritizing community needs and benefits and identifying appropriate projects to be funded by the entity implementing this community benefits program. All projects under the community benefits program must be approved by City.
On November 8, 2016, the Control, Regulate, & Tax Adult Use of Marijuana Act (“AUMA”) was approved by California voters via Proposition 64. The AUMA permits local jurisdictions to regulate and/or ban adult use cannabis cultivation, distribution and delivery, transportation, manufacturing, testing laboratories, dispensaries, and microbusiness facilities. In June 2021, the City Council passed Ordinance No. 974-2021 which added Chapter 19.27 to the Barstow Municipal Code to permit commercial cannabis activities in the City. The ordinance went into effect on July 7, 2021. On October 4, 2021, the City Council adopted Ordinance No. 977-2021, amending the City’s cannabis regulatory program ordinance.
All cannabis businesses must enter into a development agreement with the City that will be subject to Council approval through the adoption of an ordinance under Government Code Section 65865. One of the terms of the development agreement requires the operator to coordinate and cooperate with City, Operator, and/or any other Operators of commercial cannabis facilities located within City in the establishment, implementation, and funding of a community benefits program which could include such items as senior citizen programs, City beautification efforts, funding for enforcement against illegal cannabis operations, public safety, housing programs, economic development, infrastructure, capital improvements, including expansion and/or improvement to existing facilities or other physical improvements that provide a benefit to the community, support of holiday and special community events, and support of local public service, public safety, litigation defense, and special social and community organizations. This community benefits program will be implemented by City.
