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<br /> <br /> Resolution No. 2022-XXX <br />Page 3 of 5 <br /> <br />M. The City of Santa Ana has a compelling interest in ensuring that cannabis <br />is not sold in an illicit manner, in protecting the public health, safety and welfare of its <br />residents and businesses, in preserving the peace and quiet of the neighborhoods in <br />which these businesses may operate, and in providing access to safe, locally produced <br />and retailed, and tested cannabis to residents and visitors. <br /> <br />N. The rise in commercial cannabis business activity in California, coupled with <br />an increase in consumer base both Citywide and regionally, requires the City to adopt a <br />proactive approach to allowing and regulating commercial cannabis business activity, <br />including ensuring that consumers of commercial cannabis retail products are educated <br />in responsible consumption and have safely designed and monitored settings in which <br />retail cannabis may be purchased and consumed. <br /> <br />O. The City Council has held a duly noticed public hearing on September 20, <br />2022 in connection with consideration and adoption of this resolution, during which <br />comments were provided by the City Council and members of the public on additional retail <br />storefronts, reduction of retail tax rates, community benefits and social equity, the map of <br />commercial cannabis eligible areas, and priority processing for commercial cannabis <br />consumption lounges that opt in to social equity measures. <br /> <br />Section 2. Pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”) and the <br />State CEQA Guidelines, the adoption of the accompanying ordinance and accompanying <br />resolutions is exempt from further CEQA analysis pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section <br />15061(b)(3), as the proposed amendments address business activities already permitted in <br />the City and will not result in any significant physical effect on the environment. Because <br />Santa Ana is a built-out, urbanized community, and the uses permitted and regulated by the <br />cannabis ordinance are already allowed by the underlying zoning designations and the <br />development standards in Chapter 41 (Zoning) of the Santa Ana Municipal Code, the <br />updates to the ordinance will not lead to any cumulative or unforeseen impacts. A Notice of <br />Exemption, Environmental Review (ER) No. 2022-15, was filed for these actions within five <br />days of first reading, which took place on September 20, 2022. <br />Section 3. The City Council hereby establishes the map of commercial <br />cannabis eligible areas, included here as Attachment A, and referenced in Santa Ana <br />Municipal Code Sections 40-2, 40-5, and 40-6. This map reflects the original 1,000-foot <br />distance from properties containing schools, parks, and properties zoned for residential <br />uses, and includes eligible properties in the Light Industrial (M1), Heavy Industrial (M2), <br />and select Specific Development and Professional zoning districts of an industrial nature, <br />but is now parcel-specific to offer clarity to property and business owners. <br /> <br />Section 4. The City Council hereby establishes the maximum number of <br />temporary consumption events, as defined by Santa Ana Municipal Code Section 40-2 <br />(39.2) and regulated by Santa Ana Municipal Code Section 40-8 (11), as two (2) per <br />commercial cannabis retail business per calendar year.