Sacramento Releases Proposed Fees For Marijuana Businesses
SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — Sacramento City officials are releasing more information and taking more questions as the roll out of legal marijuana businesses take shape.
On Monday, the city held its eighth stake holder meeting for people wanting to get information about starting their cannabis business. The fees were released for the first time.
"They're really almost holding our hands and telling us what's going on because it's so confusing right now," said Christopher Cohen, a marijuana cultivator.
He's looking to expand his cultivation business in the Sacramento market.
The fees released on Monday vary by size of cultivation site, from $9,000 for a 5,000 sq ft. operation, to $28,000 for a 20,000 square-foot building.
"That really covers all the city costs from policing to permitting to getting this whole operation of the cannabis industry up and running," said Cohen.
The fees are high, because of the potential dangers associated with the business.
"We're a little different than other industry," explained Cohen, "we do need to be policed a little differently, there is fire hazards for what we're doing."
"A big part of it is going to be enforcement against the illegal businesses, the black market. Getting rid of those, getting those grow houses out of neighborhoods," said Randi Knott with the city of Sacramento.
Knott says 800 people are interested in opening a marijuana related business in the city limits. Cultivation is the number one endeavor.
The city council passed a cultivation ordinance in November. The council firmed up some regulations last week. They increased the buffer between cannabis businesses and parks. They also loosened the applicant background checks.
"If they paid their dues to society, the issue is no longer illegal," said Knott, "we want to make sure that if they want to be a functioning member of society that they have that opportunity."
Those opportunities are only a couple months away. Knott says they hope to lift the moratorium on marijuana cultivation by the end of March and begin issuing permits by April 3rd.
