Images of Pomona: Commercial Cannabis Permit Program (CCPP)

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COVID-19 Update

This is an update on the Commercial Cannabis Permit Program. We have officially launched the program starting March 17, 2020 and applications are due by April 20April 30. In light of the public health concerns related to COVID-19, we’d like to make the following updates:

The application deadline has been extended to 6:00 P.M., Thursday, April 30.
We have shifted from “physical submissions only” to “electronic submissions only.” Please review the updated Implementation Guide, linked below. Zoning Verification forms will be accepted electronically at cannabis@ci.pomona.ca.us . Completed applications will be submitted via Dropbox and telephone appointment; each applicant will be issued a unique upload link upon confirmation of their submittal appointment. Absolutely no physical submissions will be accepted.
Appointments for applications will take place by telephone or video conference only, and can be scheduled by e-mailing cannabis@ci.pomona.ca.us . Absolutely no in-person appointments will be scheduled.
As our Points of Contact may be teleworking during this time, we strongly encourage you to “e-mail first, call second,” as it may take us a bit longer to field calls and voicemails remotely.
All application forms are available to download. We strongly encourage you to complete the Zoning Verification Form as the first step as soon as possible.
Once the City's Point of Contact has taken in an application, an invoice will be generated and sent to the Applicant's Point of Contact identified in the cover sheet. All application payments will be accepted using one of the following methods:

Mail to City of Pomona, 505 S. Garey Ave., Box 660, Pomona, CA 91769
Place in silver drop box in the east parking lot of City Hall; Please only submit check or money order payments

Thanks, and stay safe!

Background

The Commercial Cannabis Permit Program (CCPP) is a merit-based permitting program for all commercial cannabis businesses operating in the City of Pomona. The City has not yet issued licenses under this program. The CCPP will begin accepting applications for commercial cannabis permits on 7:30 A.M., Tuesday, March 17, 2020, until 6:00 P.M. on Thursday, April 30, 2020. We encourage all prospective applicants to review the information below for guidance on how to apply, rules and regulations, and contact information.

Point of Contact

The City's designated points of contact for the CCPP are:
Ata Khan, Senior Planner
cannabis@ci.pomona.ca.us
909/620-3765
Anita D. Gutierrez, MPL, AICP, Director of Development Services
909/620-2421
Please direct all questions to these points of contact exclusively. If they are unable to assist you, a different point of contact will be assigned to you.

Implementation Guide

Please download the Implementation Guide below, which is a road map on how to apply for a commercial cannabis permit, broken out into ten steps.
CCPP Implementation Guide (updated 3/24)

Equity Applicants

The CCPP offers a waiver of Phase 1-4 application fees for any applicant that qualifies as an Equity Applicant. An equity applicant must meet all of the following criteria:
1. Has lived in the City of Pomona for the past five years.
2. Has a cannabis-related conviction on file.
3. Has 51% or greater ownership stake in the proposed commercial cannabis business.
Prospective applicants are encouraged to download the Equity Applicant form below, attach all relevant documents, and submit to cannabis@ci.pomona.ca.us . The Point of Contact will verify the information and issue a determination within three business days.
Equity Applicant Form

Application Forms

3/24/2020 Update: All application forms are now available to download.
3/17/2020 Update: Due to the ongoing public health concerns related to COVID-19, we are shifting all submissions to electronic-only. As stated in the Implementation Guide, Step #1 is submitting a Zoning Verification Form. You may download that form below. The remainder of the application forms are being uploaded by Thursday, March 19,Monday, March 23, as we adjust to new telework processes at City Hall.
3/16/2020 Update: As stated in the Implementation Guide, Step #1 is submitting a Zoning Verification Form, which will be accepted electronic-only. Please expect that form to be available by mid-day Tuesday, March 17. The remainder of the forms will be available by Thursday, March 19, as we adjust to new telework processes at City Hall.
3/12/2020 Update: We expect to have all application forms available by Tuesday, March 17, to coincide with the launch of the program. In light of public health concerns related to COVID-19, we will shift Zoning Verification Form applications from physical submissions by appointment only to electronic submissions only.
Application Instructions: Please note that each application form is a fill-in PDF. All applicants must use the fill-in feature. Handwritten/printed answers will not be accepted. If you have difficulty completing the fill-in PDF, please communicate with the Point of Contact. Each question on the application form may include a note allowing for an attachment, or a specific number of additional pages. If a question does not state this option, you are limited to the fill-in text box on the page. Please do not attach extra pages to the application unless explicitly allowed in the form.

Frequently Asked Questions

We encourage you to download the FAQ below prior to starting an application. If you have a question that is not answered in this document, please e-mail cannabis@ci.pomona.ca.us .
CCPP Frequently Asked Questions (updated 3/26)

Application Workshops

We will be hosting two workshops to walk through the application process and to answer any questions. We strongly encourage your attendance as it will be a good opportunity to dive into the application process before it launches.
Workshop #1
Tuesday, March 10, 2020
6PM
City Council Chambers
505 S. Garey Ave.
Pomona, CA 91768
Audio of Workshop #1 (starts at 2:30, ends at 56:30)
Copy of Slide Presentation at Workshop #1 (any corrections are found in red)

Workshop #2
Thursday, March 19, 2020
6PM
City Council Chambers
505 S. Garey Ave.
Pomona, CA 91768 *UPDATE: As a matter of public health and safety due to the spread of COVID-19, the workshop has been cancelled. Please refer to the audio and slides from Workshop #1 above.

CCPP Zoning Map

You may access the CCPP Overlay District map, which identifies all locations where commercial cannabis related uses are permitted, by downloading the maps as a PDF or navigating a web-based interactive GIS application.

All Adopted Documents Related to CCPP

There are several actions that have been taken by the City Council of the City of Pomona to formalize the CCPP. We encourage you to review each of these documents to get a better understanding of the context and background of this program.

Ordinance 4254, also known as the Tax Ordinance, established the tax structure for commercial cannabis in the City of Pomona.

Ordinance No. 4257, also known as the Business Ordinance, established the merit-based process for awarding commercial cannabis permits, and established the regulations pertaining to commercial cannabis in the City of Pomona.

Ordinance No. 4273, also known as the CCPP Overlay District, established the zoning of parcels where commercial cannabis related land uses may locate in the City of Pomona. It is accompanied by a map, which can be accessed by PDF or through interactive GIS

Resolution No. 2019-159, also known as the Process Integrity Standards, established rules to prevent lobbying and unfairness in the CCPP permit award process, including rules pertaining to contact of Mayor or City Council members, gifts, and campaign contributions.

Resolution No. 2019-2016 established the maximum number of CCPP permits issued at eight, which includes two (2) storefront retailer, two (2) microbusiness, and four (4) in any combination of manufacturing, testing, or indoor cultivation.

Tuesday, March 31, 2020

Commercial Cannabis Permit Program (CCPP)