Alturas Planning Commission
Regular Meeting
City Hall Council Chambers
January 13, 2016 5:30 p.m.
The meeting was called to order by Chairman Bill Hall at 5:30 p.m. Commissioners present: Tom Romero, Bill Hall, Marlene Hamilton. Commissioners absent: Chris Lauppe, Robert Dolan. Staff present: Secretary Cary Baker, City Planning Director Joe Picotte, City Council Planning Dept. Liaison Mark Steffek, Administrative Asst. Bobbi Jean Kemper. Public present: 1.
No one is present under the public forum.
MOTION by Commissioner Romero, SECONDED by Commissioner Hamilton to approve the minutes of the December 9, 2015 meeting. ALL AYES.
Review proposed Medical Marijuana Ordinance #504 & #505 and make recommendation to the Alturas City Council.
Planning Director Picotte reviews the two proposed ordinances that will go before the City Council at their January 19th meeting. City staff reviewed several ordinances from other smaller cities and liked the content of the City of Shasta Lake. These were used as an example and amended slightly to fit the needs of the City of Alturas. The state of California requires that cities have their own ordinances in place by March 1st if they want any type of local control, otherwise the state regulations will apply. At this point we still do not know what those regulations will be.
Commissioner Hall states he contacted the enforcement officer for the City of Shasta Lake and the ordinances are working well for them. Also, he will be bringing a comprehensive tobacco ordinance before the City Council for review and approval, and would like recommendation from the Planning Commission for City Council consideration. This ordinance will include regulations for smoking marijuana and treat it like any other form of tobacco; this will help set a level playing field. Tobacco education funds can provide signage relating to the smoking ordinance.
MOTION by Commissioner Romero, SECONDED by Commissioner Hamilton to recommend the approval of proposed Medical Marijuana Ordinances #504 & #505 to the Alturas City Council, with the added consideration for the Tobacco Ordinance, which includes marijuana in the smoking regulations. ALL AYES.
STAFF/COMMISSIONERS REPORTS: Planning Director Picotte is also considering a city ordinance for a special tax assessment on the sales of medical marijuana; this will be considered at a later date. The City of Shasta Lake passed an ordinance which added a 6% tax, and it can be increased up to 10% by approval of the voters. The added tax helps offset the added burden on city departments.
Also, there may be a large project coming before the Planning Commission this spring; will be issuing a few sign permits; and is working on the Fire Department Truck Barn and should have a set of plans to bring before the Planning Commission in February.
Commissioner Hall reports that a Modoc High School senior foreign exchange student received a grant through Rotary and wants to use the funds to build a bike rack and donate it to the City.
With no further business to come before the Commission, MOTION by Commissioner Hamilton, SECONDED by Commissioner Romero to adjourn the meeting at 5:50 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Cary L. Baker
Secretary