City Council to look at marijuana sales ordinance during Tuesday's meeting

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - At their May 1 meeting, the South Lake Tahoe City Council gave direction to the City Attorney's office to draft ordinances to regulate sales, cultivation and distribution of medical and adult-use cannabis.

Consensus at that meeting was to allow for two micro-businesses, two retail businesses, two cultivation businesses up to 5,000 square feet and unlimited testing labs.

At that same meeting, the Council assigned councilmembers Austin Sass and Brooke Laine to an ordinance sub-comittee and they have worked on the ordinance will be voted on Tuesday.

The proposed ordinance would require an applicant to submit a license application, pay an application fee, submit to a criminal background check, and submit a security plan in order to obtain a public safety license. All employees would also be required to submit to a background check. Once application is reviewed, the Chief of Police would notify applicants if eligible, but a license would not be granted until cannabis use license and development agreement are approved by the City Council for the operation of the cannabis business.

Once granted, safety measures would have to be but in place.

Delivery operations would be allowed for operations that that have a physical retail storefront. All cannabis businesses would be required to be sited in locations that comply with applicable zoning requirements, including plan area statements or community plans, and the TRPA Code of Ordinances.

The medical cannabis ordinance will be repealed and replaced with the new ordinance.

They will also discuss Cannabis Development Agreement application guidelines.

The Council will have to decide on how cannabis businesses could be subject to extra taxes in addition to the City's general business license tax and any state imposed taxes. They will consider taking it to the voters.

In other City Council business on June 5, the interim City Manager Dirk Brazil contract will be presented and it will be his first meeting. They will also discuss establishing a “No Nighttime Parking” Zone on Spiral Way (unofficial “Party Rock” Parking Area) as well as establishing a “Resident/Residential Visitor Only” Parking Zone on Upper Saddle between Keller Road and Sterling Court. There will also be discussion and direction regarding Airport Solar Power Purchase Agreement.

The Council will also look at the current rate structure at the City owners parking structure at Heavenly Village. With the elimination of employee parking behind Raley's the sale of the $50 monthly passes have risen dramatically, thus leaving very few places for the public. Council will look at raising the parking pass rates and limit the number issued. They will also consider raising daily parking rates in the permit areas of Montreal Road and Lake Parkway to $15/day.

For more on the agenda or to view the 9:00 a.m. meeting, visit http://slt.granicus.com/GeneratedAgendaViewer.php?view_id=6&event_id=334