After concerns that there were too many cannabis retail storefront applications in Old Town Goleta, the City Council this week voted to reduce the overall cap on stores and allow only one in the Old Town Heritage District.
The changes to the cannabis land-use ordinance reduced the cap to six from 15, and the three existing shops count toward the cap, according to Planning and Environmental Review Director Peter Imhof.
The City Council also approved buffers to limit where cannabis retail storefronts can be located, including buffers from residential land use, separation from other cannabis retail businesses, and 600-foot buffers from schools and the Goleta Valley Community Center.
A 100-foot residential land-use buffer “would eliminate the potential for cannabis retail on many commercial properties,” the staff report noted.
Of the 15 applications (from 10 people) received so far, three are existing dispensaries (which get the first three spots in the cap of six), and seven are for storefronts on the 5000 block of Hollister Avenue, in Old Town Goleta.
Only one dispensary will be allowed in the Old Town Heritage District boundaries, but there will be three storefronts in all of Old Town since two of the existing dispensaries are located there, Councilman Kyle Richards noted during Tuesday’s meeting.
Dispensaries currently are located in the city at 5814 Gaviota St. (about a block south of Hollister Avenue), 5902 Daley St. and 164 Aero Camino.
The cannabis land-use ordinance amendments were approved by councilmen Roger Aceves, Stuart Kasdin, James Kyriaco and Richards, with Mayor Paula Perotte absent.
Scroll down to see the full list of current cannabis retail storefront applications for Goleta.
Senior planner Kathy Allen explained how the list of applications will be handled with a new cap and buffers, which will go into effect 30 days after the City Council approves a second reading of the ordinance amendments.
The 5999 Hollister Ave. application is in the Old Town Heritage District and would take the only spot, she added.
The applicants for the 5777 Hollister Ave. and 5890 Hollister Ave. sites will have six months to find new locations due to the cap and new buffers, Allen said.
If any of the first six applicants in line drop out, the next one in line has a chance to submit a business license application.
City Council members also asked about limiting one cannabis retail storefront per operator, which will come back for discussion at a future meeting, Allen said.
— Noozhawk managing editor Giana Magnoli can be reached at gmagnoli@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.
