Hear presentations; award preliminary approval to one commercial cannabis business manufacturing operator; and provide direction to staff for additional conditions of approval to be included in a future resolution to authorize the city manager to issue commercial cannabis business manufacturing permit.

At City Council’s direction, this item has been continued from the March 16, 2021 City Council meeting. The council will now hear the applicant presentation, hear public testimony, discuss, and possibly take preliminary action.

At the April 6, 2021, City Council meeting, the council approved Resolution 2021-68, modifying the application review procedures for a commercial cannabis business permit. Scores previously awarded to each applicant during Phases II and III of the application review process will no longer be considered as part of the council's decision-making process. The council will consider the applicant presentations, the materials presented by staff, the public testimony, and any other evidence in the record to make its determinations on the award of permits.

The applicant will be provided the opportunity to make a presentation to the council. The presentation will be limited to 15 minutes. Following the presentation, the council may ask questions of the applicant regarding such things as their business qualifications and experience, their safety plan, security plan, neighborhood compatibility plan, community benefits, or other items specific to their application and presentation.

Staff created an applicant information packet for the manufacturing applicant which includes: (1) a summary of the information provided on the business owners, business plan, labor and local enterprise plan, safety plan, security plans, business location, and proposed community relations plan; (2) current cannabis license information; and (3) public comment letters received. Taken together, the packet provides a summary of the notable contents of the application.

Following the presentation and public comment, the council is being asked to award preliminary approval to receive the one commercial cannabis business manufacturing permit available and to decide on any additional conditions of approval they would like to be included. At a minimum, the community benefits offered in the applicant’s application as part of their community relations plan will be included as a condition of approval by staff. The decision of the council to award a commercial cannabis business manufacturing permit to the applicant will be preliminary and no permit will be issued at this meeting.

A resolution which sets forth the findings of the council and the final conditions of approval will be brought back to the council for approval at a subsequent meeting. This resolution will also authorize the city manager to issue a commercial cannabis business permit to the chosen applicant upon successful completion and satisfaction of the remaining requirements of Fairfield Municipal Code Chapter 10E and conditions of approval. Fairfield Municipal Code Chapter 10E outlines additional requirements that a successful applicant must satisfy prior to the issuance of the permit and start of operations which includes obtaining LiveScans (fingerprinting and background checks) of all owners, passing building inspections, entering into a community relations agreement with the City of Fairfield, and satisfying other similar requirements included in Fairfield Municipal Code Chapter 10E.