| Happy (almost) Halloween! We hope everybody will celebrate safely this year. On October 29, 2021, DCR transmitted a report to the City Council, which will be included in Council File 21-1083, in response to a Motion introduced to the City Council on September 29, 2021. This motion would make amendments to the Cannabis Procedures Ordinance, make changes to DCR’s application processes and procedures, and instruct DCR to take several actions regarding the administration of the cannabis license application process. The Motion is currently scheduled to be heard in the Planning and Land Use Management Committee on Tuesday, November 2, 2021. DCR’s report to the City Council highlights certain provisions in the Motion that will have unintended negative impacts on the City’s cannabis licensing process and Social Equity Individual Applicants. As written, the motion may present challenges to equity, public health, public safety, and economic output regarding commercial cannabis activity. It is the Department’s priority to administer the Social Equity Program equitably, and to ensure that processes and procedures benefit from the experience of stakeholders in the largest legal cannabis market who have generously provided their feedback and suggestions to the Department at our recent series of stakeholder listening sessions, also known as SPARK. In direct response to the feedback provided by applicants and stakeholders, DCR worked with the City Council to implement a series of ordinance amendments, adopted this last July, that have simplified the Pre-Application Review and Temporary Approval processes. DCR recognizes the spirit in which this motion was made and acknowledges both the need to ensure that application processes are fast, efficient, and equitable and the need for the Department to immediately and continually improve its processes. To accomplish this goal, DCR has included new recommendations in our report for the City Council to consider such as allowing Applicants with Temporary Approval applications that have been abandoned to “refile” or submit a new application, authorizing DCR to review Equity Share documentation outside of the Temporary Approval Application process, allowing relocations outside of the original Community Plan Area, and establish processing timelines for expedited services fees. DCR appreciates the opportunity afforded by this motion to discuss the issues raised therein, and in it’s report, pose solutions that will efficiently and equitably improve the Department. As always, DCR encourages applicants, stakeholders, and members of our City family to reach out as they read the report and let us know how we can improve any aspect of the rules, regulations, and programs DCR administers. |
