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What are SCGA's Priorities for 2022 and beyond?

• Sonoma County to recognize cannabis as agriculture in the County's General Plan
• Lower the cultivation taxes
• Allow for vested cannabis permits that run with the land
• Staff to embark on the development of a full comprehensive environmental impact report that is broad in scope and based on a program that defines cannabis as agriculture at the local, state and federal levels akin to hemp and other field and row crops.
• Allow distribution in AG zones
• Allow on-farm light manufacturing
• Develop regulations that allow for Type-7 manufacturing in AG zones
• Allow delivery-only retail
• Allow consumption lounges
• Allow farm stands and direct-to-consumer sales on a property where a cannabis permit has been issued provided that the applicable state licenses have been obtained.
• Develop trigger language that will allow issuance of a permit or other authorization for cannabis direct to consumer sales so one can submit a state license application once the state develops regulatory language for their licensure.
• Revisit the county’s current cap on dispensaries
• Allow small scale cultivation on appropriate AR + RR parcels over 10 acres
• Reduce the 10 acre minimum parcel size for small-scale operations
• Revisit the canopy cap for indoor cultivation on industrial parcels
• Revisit the outdoor cultivation cap in agricultural zones
• Prioritize and protect small legacy farmers
• Push for the County to re-establish the Board of Supervisors’ Cannabis Ad Hoc Committee, or a Cannabis Standing Committee, to deal specifically with cannabis-related issues.
• Sonoma County to hire or appoint a dedicated Cannabis Program Manager, who would coordinate with the various departments involved and serve as a liaison between the county and the public.
• Push for the County to have cannabis-specific planners in Permit Sonoma to review cannabis permit applications. With the fires and other permit issues, the cannabis permits have created a major backlog with some applicants waiting four years now for a determination.  Cannabis permit fees sufficiently cover dedicated planning staff, and more permit applications would be filed if the process was more efficient. 
• Engage with the community to establish a successful Cannabis Equity Program specific to Sonoma County to help local operators who’ve been disproportionately harmed by the war on drugs, from prohibition or overregulation. Enforcement without opportunity is a failed paradigm.
• Direct staff to inform and assist existing permit holders with the CEQA process for state licensing.