San Rafael, CA – The Marin County Board of Supervisors’ unanimous approval of a new delivery-only medicinal cannabis licensing ordinance took only about 15 minutes on November 14.
The County expects the application process for medicinal cannabis delivery-only businesses to open in January 2018.The licensing ordinance establishes a regulatory framework and local delivery options for patients to safely access medicinal cannabis consistent with a state law approved in June. The ordinance is officially called the Medicinal Cannabis Delivery-Only Retailer (MCDORe) Licensing ordinance.
The Marin County Community Development Agency (CDA) will develop application submittal requirements, and a proposed application fee schedule will be brought to the Board on December 5. On the same day, the Board is scheduled to take final action to repeal a previous medicinal cannabis ordinance. CDA staff expects the application process to open in January 2018.
“This has been a lot of work, and we’ve had a huge learning curve as regulations and laws have changed,” said Board President Judy Arnold, who served on a Board subcommittee on medicinal cannabis with fellow Supervisor Damon Connolly. “This ordinance provides a balance between addressing community concerns and providing patients in Marin County access to medicinal cannabis. During the previous attempt to license storefront dispensaries we heard numerous concerns from the public. Neighborhood compatibility, traffic and potential exposure to youth were issues that were raised. Based on this input, we devised the delivery-only concept.”
Connolly added, “The timing is right on this issue with the changes in state law. We have put together a solid, balanced program.”
The ordinance requires a retailer to be closed to the public and dispense medicinal cannabis exclusively by delivery. Retailers will have to be located at least 600 feet from schools, day-care centers, youth centers and playgrounds. Locations could be within industrial-zoned and office properties in addition to commercially zoned districts.
The MCDORe ordinance, which replaces a dispensary ordinance adopted in 2015, only affects medicinal cannabis regulations in the unincorporated areas of Marin; towns and cities create regulations in their own jurisdictions.
Learn more at www.marincounty.org/cannabis. The public is encouraged to register for emailed updates about medicinal cannabis through its e-subscription service.