Cannabis Permitting

On November 14, 2017, the City of Lake Elsinore City Council adopted an ordinance that conditionally permits cannabis-related land uses in both the M-1 and M-2 zone districts, subject to the approval of a Conditional Use Permit. The ordinance establishes a specific cannabis business permit and three conditionally permitted cannabis-related land uses, subject to the approval of a Conditional Use Permit; these uses include cultivation, manufacturing, and testing. Two additional cannabis-related land uses were established that must be collocated with a conditionally permitted land use, these uses include dispensaries and distribution facilities. In addition to defined cannabis-related land uses, the proposed ordinance creates objective standards to evaluate cannabis-related land uses and specific requirements for the operation of cannabis-related land uses. Specifically, the ordinance requires the following:

• Obtaining a Conditional Use Permit and a Cannabis Business Permit prior to the establishment of the use.
• Requirement of obtaining a cannabis business permit, which includes annual inspections.
• Liability insurance, a minimum of $1,000,000 in aggregate policy limits.
• Financial reporting, the permittee is required to submit financial reports on a yearly basis
• Storage requirements, cannabis-related uses shall have adequate locked storage, with the storage identified and approved as part of the security plan
• Site security and cannabis-related uses shall have a site security plan. The plan shall include surveillance cameras with specific storage and retention requirements and alarm systems.
• Signs, specific signs that assert consumption of cannabis is prohibited, juveniles are prohibited, and that the products produced and/or sold have not been tested.
• Site restrictions, all cannabis-related businesses shall lock all exterior doors; personnel shall wear identification badges and requirements of managers being onsite.
• Cannabis and alcohol consumption are prohibited.
• Limitations of operational hours.
• Uses located entirely indoors (excluding greenhouses).
• Operators cannot have a criminal history.
• Manufacturing of cannabis restricts the use of solvents and volatile chemicals.
• Prohibition on retail sales and deliveries for cultivation, manufacturing, or testing facilities unless an accessory dispensary or distribution facility has been approved.
• Restriction on the size (less than 25% of the gross floor area) and financial impact (51% of gross receipts) for the accessory uses.