Title
Receive an update on renewable energy requirements for indoor commercial cannabis cultivators, and direct the Housing and Community Development Planning staff to amend Titles 20 and 21 of the Monterey County Code to align with s renewable energy requirements of comparable jurisdictions or the State.
Report
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the Board of Supervisors:
a. Receive an update on renewable energy requirements for indoor commercial cannabis cultivators;
b. Provide direction to the Housing and Community Development Planning staff to amend Titles 20 and 21 of the Monterey County Code to align with renewable energy requirements of comparable jurisdictions or the State; and
c. Provide direction to staff as appropriate.
SUMMARY
On October 30, 2020, the Cannabis Program ("Program") presented a memorandum to the Board of Supervisors Cannabis Committee ("Committee") on the renewable energy requirements as stated in Titles 20 and 21 of the Monterey County Code ("MCC"). Specifically, sections 20.67.050(B)(9) and 21.67.050(B)(9) require: "Onsite renewable energy generation shall be required for all indoor (cultivation activities using artificial lighting only including Type 1A, 1C, 2A, 3A and 4 state license types) cannabis cultivation activities. Renewable energy systems shall be designed to have a generation potential equal to or greater than one-half of the anticipated energy demand."
This requirement applies only to indoor commercial cannabis cultivators. For reference, there are 17 indoor cultivators in operation in the unincorporated area of the County, representing 20% of all cultivators. The majority of these operations are located in the Moss Landing Commerical Park. It should be noted that these indoor cultivators have one tenth of the average canopy size of mixed-light operations within the County.
Monterey County's requirement is more stringent than what is required by the State and other local jurisidictions because it does ...
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