Ban on recreational marijuana businesses heads to Huntington Beach council

A Huntington Beach zoning amendment that would prohibit the sale and distribution of non-medical marijuana by businesses will be considered by the City Council on Monday.

The amendment also would regulate the cultivation of recreational marijuana.

The Planning Commission voted 6-1 in late July to recommend approval, with Commissioner Dan Kalmick dissenting on grounds that he believes the city is devoting a large amount of resources to regulating a “boogeyman.”

According to the Huntington Beach Police Department, non-medical marijuana businesses and deliveries could have negative effects such as an increase in robberies, thefts and burglaries, a city staff report states.

The department says cities that have non-medical marijuana businesses have seen increases in arrests related to driving under the influence, according to the report.

Proposition 64, which voters statewide passed in November, allows people 21 and older to use and cultivate non-medical marijuana, with stipulations granting local governments the ability to ban recreational marijuana businesses and regulate cultivation.

Under the Huntington Beach amendment, outdoor cultivation of recreational marijuana would be illegal. Indoor cultivation would be restricted to private residences in an enclosed area, according to city documents.

Short-term rentals workshop

Also at Monday’s meeting, the council will consider having staff organize a community workshop for residents and property and business owners to hear the benefits and negatives of short-term rentals, which currently are not permitted in the city.

A short-term rental is when an owner rents out a home to an individual or a group for less than 30 days at a time, often as a vacation getaway. Though it is a source of income for property owners, it can be a source of annoyance for neighbors who don’t like strangers moving in and out of their neighborhoods or the noise and trash they can create.

Councilman Patrick Brenden proposes that the workshop be held at the Senior Center in Central Park at 9 a.m. Sept. 16, according to a statement by Brenden.

The workshop could include community development leaders, lawyers, short-term rental owners and representatives of local cities and Airbnb, a website that advertises such rentals.

The council meeting will begin at 6 p.m. at City Hall, 2000 Main St.

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