Dear Friends & Neighbors,
Last month, the Board of Supervisors discussed the placing of cannabis lounges in the unincorporated areas of Monterey County. The lounges would only be allowed at the site of dispensaries. There are nine dispensaries outside the cities. Six of those dispensaries are in North County and the other three are in Carmel Valley. The cannabis industry has requested these because people who live in rented dwellings or visitors staying in hotel rooms are usually not allowed to smoke. It is also being viewed as another revenue stream for an industry that has faced some hard times recently. Currently, 19 jurisdictions in California, all but one being a city, allow 41 cannabis lounges. There are none in the Monterey Bay area.
Being that North County would bear the brunt of cannabis tourism, I expressed strong opposition to that because of safety, traffic and other concerns. I believe it is inappropriate for tourists from the Monterey Peninsula or residents throughout the county to drive to North County solely to get consume cannabis, hang around in a lounge for a while and then get on North County roads to go back to their homes or hotel without being assured that they are sober.
I also expressed concern about the use of edibles in lounges. Consuming cannabis by eating instead of smoking has a longer, more unpredictable effect. I strongly feel this could be a serious hazard. The lounges should be solely for smoking.
Most of the cannabis dispensaries in North County are in rural areas far from a population center or public transportation hub. It is also more difficult to call a cab or Uber for a ride. With that in mind, I made the motion that a cannabis lounge should be within one mile of a city where a customer base can drive little distance or can even walk to the lounge. Public transportation and cabs are more accessible when close to a city as well. Although some opposition was expressed to my proposal, I stated that I would oppose the lounges if they were not restricted close to a city. The Board did vote 5-0 to approve this and directed staff to develop regulations under the one-mile condition. For North County, this would limit a dispensary within one mile of Watsonville or Salinas. The cannabis dispensaries in Prunedale, Castroville and Moss Landing would not be eligible for a lounge.
It is likely to be next year or later before this comes back to the Board of Supervisors for final approval. Of the nine cannabis dispensaries only three are eligible to be lounges under the one-mile restriction. Two are in Carmel Valley and one is in North County, near Watsonville.
As always, don't hesitate to reach out to my office for assistance. You can reach us at 831-755-5022 or district2@co.monterey.ca.us.
Sincerely,
Glenn Church
District 2 Supervisor
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