Santa Rosa Planning Commission Meeting - September 22, 2022
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Santa Rosa Planning Commission Meeting - September 22, 2022
The Santa Rosa Planning Commission met virtually on September 22, 2022, at 4:30 PM. The primary agenda item was a public hearing and vote on a conditional use permit for Jane Dispensary, a proposed cannabis retail facility with delivery service at 4040 Highway 12. The commission approved the permit 6-0 after hearing staff presentation, applicant comments, and public testimony.
Consent Calendar
- No consent items were presented.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Bill Vreland (resident on Kentire Road) expressed opposition, citing concerns about the location adjacent to a residential neighborhood, potential property devaluation, parking congestion, and operating hours until 9 PM. He noted the project meets legal setbacks but argued it violates the spirit of the law.
- William Pinkerton (property owner on Streamside) also opposed, raising concerns about attracting homeless populations, crime, and the late operating hours. He stated the location is inappropriate and questioned the number of dispensaries in the city.
- Mario Tamo (applicant), Jamie Shira (owner), and Leanne Baker (COO) spoke in support, emphasizing their experience in the cannabis industry, focus on education and safety, and commitment to operating a responsible business. They offered to answer questions.
Discussion Items
- Item 8.1: Public Hearing – Jane Dispensary Conditional Use Permit (CUP21-071)
- Project Overview: Proposed cannabis retail dispensary (1,997 sq. ft.) with delivery service in an existing commercial building at 4040 Highway 12 (Sonoma Highway). Operating hours: 9 AM – 9 PM, seven days a week. The site complies with the 600-foot setback from schools and other cannabis retailers.
- Staff Presentation: Planner Suzanne Hartman presented details including site location, zoning (surrounding residential and office commercial), parking (36 spaces, two ADA), and operational requirements (security, odor control, lighting, noise). The project qualifies for CEQA exemptions (Class 1, 3, 32). Staff recommended approval.
- Commission Discussion:
- Commissioners addressed public concerns about location, hours, and safety. They noted the city’s policy to disperse dispensaries throughout neighborhoods, that the site is on a major commercial thoroughfare with direct access, and that enhanced security typically improves neighborhood safety.
- Commissioner Holton compared cannabis to alcohol retail, noting liquor stores often operate later.
- Vice Chair Peterson emphasized that the conditional use permit requires ongoing compliance and is renewable every two years.
- Vote: Motion by Vice Chair Peterson, seconded by Commissioner Krepke, to approve the resolution. Vote: 6–0 in favor (Commissioner Carter absent). All commissioners stated they could make the required findings.
Key Outcomes
- Decision: The Planning Commission approved Resolution No. PC-2022-029, granting a conditional use permit for Jane Dispensary to operate a cannabis retail facility with delivery at 4040 Highway 12.
- Conditions: The approval is subject to standard conditions of the city's cannabis ordinance, including security, odor control, and operating hours (9 AM – 9 PM).
- Appeal: The decision is final unless an appeal is filed within 10 calendar days (extended to next business day if deadline falls on a city holiday).
- Meeting Adjourned: 5:14 PM.
Meeting Transcript
Can you test your audio and video for me, please? Can you test your audio on video for me, please? Can you test your audio on video for me, please? Thank you. Um, every we have uh corn, so when at four thirty, we'll be ready to start. Okay, are we um getting ready to go? We are ready. Okay. So with that, I will go ahead and call to order the September twenty second, twenty twenty two meeting of the Santa Rosa Planning Commission to order. Uh before we start, I'd like to read the following statement. Due to provisions of the governor's executive orders N twenty five dash twenty and N dash twenty nine dash twenty, which suspends certain requirements of the Brown Act and the order of the health officer of the county of Sonoma to shelter in place to minimize the spread of COVID nineteen. 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 the meeting as noted on the city's website and as noted on the agenda for today's meetings. Members of the public wishing to speak during item four of the public comment portion, or during our public hearing today, will be able to do so by raising their hand and we'll be given the ability to address the commission. No, no, not not at all. This is on um items that are not on the agenda tonight. Not yet. That's further on in the agenda tonight. So we have to stay on for the whole thing until you get to it. Is that correct? Yes, and there's only one item on the agenda tonight, so it shouldn't be much longer. Okay, my apologies. That's okay. Okay, I don't see any other hands raised. So if that's the case, I will go ahead and uh close the public comment period and we'll move on to planning commissioners' report. Um, the statement of purpose uh for the planning commission is that we are charged with carrying out the California planning and 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 subdivision maps, and undertaking any special planning studies as needed. So, with that, um, are there any committee reports? Okay, I don't see any. Uh, so we'll move on to 4.3 commission reports. Are there any reports from my fellow commissioners tonight? Okay, not seeing any. Then we'll move right on to department reports. Ms. Jones. Uh yes, thank you. Chair we explained with the commission. Uh I will be brief. Um, I'm getting a little feedback, so I apologize. I'm not sure what that is. Uh I just wanted to just quickly let the commission know that um so I am here in uh in place of Claire Hartman tonight. Um she's your normal staff liaison, um, but she and several of our other planners are headed to San Francisco right now to accept an award from the Northern California chapter of the American Planning Association for the downtown stationary specific plan that was recently adopted by council. So we're very excited about that. So I just wanted to share that with the commission. Um, and then also um just uh you're going to be meeting her momentarily, but I did want to um let you know that tonight is the debut of one of our um recent hires, um one of our new city planners. Um, as I mentioned to the commission uh several months ago, we were in the process of hiring uh several new city planners, and so Suzanne Hartman is one of them. We are extremely excited to have her on board with the city. She uh she's only been with us a short while, but has also already um shown herself to be uh a rock star among planners. So we're excited um to have her here, and I'm excited to have her um meet you tonight.
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