Staff outlines draft rules for cannabis businesses including buffer, licensing and permit types

Assistant Director Silva presented a high-level overview of the draft cannabis code to the Planning Commission, describing six code sections that would replace or amend existing chapters and add operational and licensing standards.

Silva said the draft would consolidate definitions, specify where cannabis uses could locate (transit-oriented center, central business district, commercial and certain industrial zones), and keep residential, mixed-use and public-institution zones off-limits. The draft sets permit review types from Type 1 administrative decisions (appealable) to Type 3 conditional use permits with public hearings for certain production sites. Silva noted the draft maintains the state-required 1,000-foot minimum separation from protected uses but explained that state law allows jurisdictions the option to reduce some separations to 100 feet if chosen; the Lakewood draft did not choose reductions.

Operational standards described included 21-and-over retail, prohibition on on-site consumption, security and cash/financial requirements tied to state regulation, indoor-only production, air-quality control requirements for producers and accreditation/certification requirements for testing labs. Silva said the draft also proposes a city 'specialty business license' to run concurrently with the state license and align to the state licensing cycle.

Commissioners asked clarifying questions about recording of boundary line adjustments, buffer flexibility and possible nuisance enforcement through local licensing. Silva confirmed appeals would be routed through the city's online permitting system and that nonrenewal or state license revocation would automatically trigger the same action at the city license level.