Laserfiche WebLink
Planning and Building Agency <br />www.santa-ana.org/pb/ <br />i Item # 28 <br />City of Santa Ana <br />20 Civic Center Plaza, Santa Ana, CA 92701 <br />Staff Report <br />September 7, 2021 <br />TOPIC: Orange County Grand Jury's Investigative Report, Findings, and <br />Recommendations Regarding Santa Ana's Licensed Retail Adult -Use Cannabis Program <br />AGENDA TITLE: <br />Receive and File the Orange County Grand Jury's Investigative Report, Findings, and <br />Recommendations Regarding Santa Ana's Licensed Retail Adult -Use Cannabis Program <br />and Authorize the City Manager to Deliver the City's Response to the Findings and <br />Recommendations to the Presiding Judge of the Superior Court <br />RECOMMENDED ACTION <br />Receive and file the Orange County Grand Jury's investigative report, findings, and <br />recommendations regarding Santa Ana's licensed retail adult -use cannabis program and <br />authorize the City Manager to deliver the City's response to the findings and <br />recommendations to the Presiding Judge of the Superior Court. <br />DISCUSSION <br />On June 3, 2021, the Orange County Grand Jury (OCGJ) issued an investigative report <br />with findings and recommendations regarding the City of Santa Ana's licensed retail adult - <br />use cannabis program and regulatory framework. The Orange County Grand Jury <br />(OCGJ) was interested in investigating how the decision to move forward with adult -use <br />cannabis retail permitting impacted Santa Ana and any resulting significant issues. The <br />OCGJ investigated this matter to make the public and other communities aware of the <br />potential "gains or pitfalls," should other jurisdictions move forward with retail adult -use <br />cannabis permitting. The report focuses only on the permitting and sale of retail adult - <br />use cannabis in the City and does not address medicinal sales, and/or medicinal and <br />adult -use cultivation, distribution, manufacturing, testing, or any issues related to the use <br />of cannabis products. <br />Exhibit 1 is the complete OCGJ's June 3, 2021 report. In summary, the OCGJ finds that <br />City's program added significant and much needed revenue to the City with no reported <br />increase in criminal activity. In addition, the report finds that funds have not only increased <br />the City's general fund account, but have also been used for enhanced police services <br />City Council 28 — 1 9/7/2021 <br />