Santa Rosa Planning Commission Meeting - May 13, 2021: Two Cannabis Conditional Use Permits Approved
STREAMING COPY IN PREPARATION — RECORDING AVAILABLE FROM THE ORIGINAL SOURCE
Santa Rosa Planning Commission Meeting - May 13, 2021: Two Cannabis Conditional Use Permits Approved
[The Santa Rosa Planning Commission met virtually on May 13, 2021, at 4:05 p.m. and adjourned at 5:05 p.m. Commissioners present: Chair Karen Weeks, Vice Chair Julian Peterson, Commissioners Charles Carter, Vicki Duggan, Jeffrey Holton, Jeff Okrepkie, and Akash Kalia. The meeting included two public hearings for cannabis facility conditional use permits. Both were approved after staff presentations, applicant presentations, and commissioner discussions. No public comments were received on either item.]
Public Comments & Testimony
- No members of the public spoke during the public comment period or during either public hearing.
Discussion Items
9.1 - Sunstone Advisors, Inc. - Conditional Use Permit (CUP18-070) - 330 Yolanda Ave.
- Staff planner Monet Sheikhali presented the proposal for a 5,893 sq ft cannabis facility within a new 8,441 sq ft building on two parcels at 330-358 Yolanda Ave. Uses include cannabis retail (dispensary) with delivery and on-site consumption (4,279 sq ft), cultivation (469 sq ft), manufacturing Level 1 non-volatile (889 sq ft), and distribution (256 sq ft). Hours of operation: dispensary 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.; other uses 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. The project site was rezoned from commercial to light industrial via a 2020 General Plan amendment.
- A late-written public comment opposed the project due to traffic concerns on the Heron Avenue overpass, citing potential worsening with other planned projects.
- Applicant Alicia Rose Kelly presented a vision for a "winery-like" educational cannabis experience, highlighting 20 years of wine industry experience and 6 years in cannabis. She described a guided tasting model ending with CBD to ensure sobriety.
- Traffic engineer Barry Bergman (WTrans) explained that a supplemental traffic study showed no significant impact after including three additional nearby projects. The intersection of Yolanda and Piner/Plum Hill Road remained acceptable.
- Commissioner Peterson expressed skepticism about traffic findings given planned housing developments but accepted the study. He noted that over-concentration provisions in the ordinance only apply to retail dispensaries, not other cannabis uses, but the area has a high concentration of cannabis businesses.
- Commissioner Carter asked about a 2,280 sq ft vacant portion of the building; applicant said it may host a lifestyle market in the future. Staff clarified that any new use would require evaluation for a possible permit amendment.
9.2 - Stony Point Wellness - Conditional Use Permit (CUP20-066) - 411 Stony Point Rd.
- Staff planner Adam Ross presented the proposal for a medicinal and adult-use retail cannabis dispensary and delivery service in an existing 2,270 sq ft tenant space within the Stony Point Shopping Center. No exterior modifications proposed. Hours: 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily. The site is zoned CG (general commercial), not within 600 ft of any school, and has adequate parking (381 spaces on site, requirement 379).
- A pre-application neighborhood meeting had six attendees, all in support. One email in opposition was received. The project qualifies for Class 1 and Class 3 CEQA categorical exemptions.
- Applicant Eric Eust (Santa Rosa native, civil engineering background) stated the location fits the city's cannabis framework, is near major retail and transit, and provides regulated products. He emphasized that the shopping center is active but not fully occupied for parking.
- Commissioner Carter expressed skepticism about parking based on personal experience (Wednesday mornings), and urged promotion of alternative transportation. Commissioner Duggan noted the area near the proposed suite was less crowded. Commissioner Holton raised concerns about traffic entering/exiting the shopping center from Stony Point Road, citing frequent near-accidents. Commissioner Kalia agreed parking can be tight but meets code.
Key Outcomes
- Item 9.1 (Sunstone Advisors): Motion by Commissioner Duggan, seconded by Commissioner Kalia, to approve Resolution No. 12053 approving Conditional Use Permit CUP18-070. Passed 6-0-1 (Commissioner Okrepkie abstained due to potential financial bias; he left the meeting at 4:15 p.m. and returned for item 9.2). Commissioners found all required findings, with some noting traffic and concentration concerns but accepting staff analysis.
- Item 9.2 (Stony Point Wellness): Motion by Commissioner Duggan, seconded by Commissioner Holton, to approve Resolution No. 12054 approving Conditional Use Permit CUP20-066. Passed 7-0. Commissioners found all required findings, with advisory comments on parking and traffic access.
Meeting Transcript
Okay, this is Patty the host checking one more time, trying to eliminate some echoing. Um, can everybody hear me okay? Any weird echoing? Okay, good. Thank you, Chair Weeks. All right, Chair Weeks, with that, um, we are ready to go at your discretion. Okay, so if the commissioners could um your video on, it would be great. And then uh okay. So ready to go, Mike. Yes, we are, thank you. Okay, thank you. Thank you, everybody. Um I would like to call the uh to call I would like to call to order the May 13th meeting of the planning commission and uh read the uh typical verbiage um that we've been doing now for over a year, and that is uh due to the provisions of the governor's executive orders n 25-20 and n 29-20, which suspends certain requirements of the Brown Act and the order of the health officer of the county of Sonoma, a shelter in place to minimize the spread of COVID-19. The planning commissioners will be conducting today's meeting in a virtual setting using Zoom webinar. Commissioners and staff are participating from remote locations and or practicing appropriate social distancing. Members of the public may view and listen to this meeting as noted on the city's website and as noted on the agenda. Members of the public wishing to speak during item four, the public comment period or during our public hearing items will be able to do so by raising their hand and will be given the ability to address the commission. Uh, can you you do roll call, please? Yes, let the record reflect that all commissioners are present. Great, thank you. Um item two is study session of which we have none. Item three, approval of minutes. Uh is are there any uh questions or comments or changes to the minutes? Okay, seeing none, um, they would be approved as submitted. Item four is public comments. Um, and we now open the public comment period for any item not included in this meeting's agenda. If you wish to make a comment via Zoom, please select the raised hand button. If you are dialing in via telephone, please dial star nine to raise your hand. Each speaker has three minutes. A countdown timer will appear for the convenience of the speaker and viewers. Please make sure to unmute yourself when you're invited to do so by the host. Your microphone will be muted at the end of that countdown. Do we have any public comments? Thank you, Chair Weeks. It does not look like anyone's raising their hand at this time. We do have one phone caller, and they are also not raising their hand. Okay. Sorry. Okay, so then um wait a minute or more, and if nobody else raises their hands. Okay, so we will go ahead and close the public comment period. And um planning commissioners report. So um, I'd like to start off item five by reading the statement of purpose of the planning commission. The planning commission is charged with carrying out the California planning zoning laws in the city of Santa Rosa. Duties include implementing of plans, ordinances, and policies related to land use matters, assisting in writing and implementing the general plan and area plans, holding public hearings and acting on proposed changes to the zoning code, zoning map, general plan, tentative map. I'm sorry, tentative subdivision maps, and undertaking special planning studies as needed. And then item 5.2 are committee reports. Um there uh commissioner Carter, do you have a waterways advisory committee report? I do not. Thank you. Um I do have a subdivision committee report, which myself and commissioner Kalia attended, and Commissioner Calia will be taking over from now on as the chair of that uh sub that advisory committee, and we reviewed two items.
openpublica.com