City Council is next stop for rule changes to allow delivery-only cannabis businesses
The Planning Commission voted to recommend new regulations that include specific operating hours, standards for delivery drivers and limits on how much product vehicles could carry at one time.
Since Long Beach has allowed commercial cannabis sales, business owners that wanted to deliver their product to customers were required to have a storefront dispensary – but that’s a step closer to changing.
The city’s Planning Commission on Thursday supported rule changes to allow delivery-only cannabis businesses, so all that’s still needed is the City Council’s approval.
The marijuana industry has reportedly struggled for reasons including high taxes (15% charged by the state, plus local add-ons) and competition from a black market without the same taxes or quality control requirements.
Long Beach has explored several ways to boost cannabis entrepreneurs locally, including reducing city cannabis taxes and offering more avenues to become a business owner for people negatively affected by past criminalization of pot.
Even without a customer-serving storefront, delivery businesses could only locate in the city’s “green zone” (which keeps cannabis businesses a certain distance from schools, parks and libraries, according to the proposed new rules.
Other rules would set operating hours, limit how much product a delivery vehicle can carry at a time, and require the vehicles to have a GPS system that logs where they go.
It's unknown when the City Council might take up the new regulations.
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