 March Madness is here, and no, we’re not talking about basketball season. Besides preparing your tax return, it's also the time to make sure you're keeping track of permit deadlines. Culver City approved a cannabis regulatory ordinance, officially amending the municipal code on commercial cannabis businesses. As a result, they’ve made a number of cannabis business permits available to applicants during the month of March! All cannabis businesses within Culver City are required to obtain a cannabis business permit in order to legally operate. The city is releasing a limited number of permits for manufacturing, distribution, cultivation, testing, and delivery-only retail businesses. The process is going to be quite competitive, so if you need assistance preparing your application, please get in touch with one of our experts. The following numbers are a guideline to what type of permits and the quantity that will be available.
Both commercial outdoor cultivation and commercial mixed-light cultivation will remain prohibited. Here’s what you need to know to submit the best application possible. Storefront Retail Permit Application and Selection Process Culver City’s cannabis business permit application and selection process is established by City Council. Click through to download a copy of the storefront retail business application. The above document outlines the 9-page application guidelines and selection process for storefront retail businesses. Here’s a glimpse of what the process looks like:
Applicants will be reviewed by a three person panel which is appointed by the city manager. This panel will rank each applicant. The 3 – 6 applicants ranked highest proceed to Step 1(b). Then, a 5-person review committee conducts panel interviews with remaining applicants. You will be required to have 2/3 of your largest individual equity holders present at the interview. Points will be assigned and the 3 applicants with the highest score will receive an approval letter to proceed. The applicant will then apply for a Conditional Use Permit (CUP) in addition to Los Angeles County Permits. A public meeting must be held, requiring you share details of your plan and CUP. Then, the city council will approve or deny the storefront retail cannabis business permit. If approved, the applicant must apply for a business license tax certificate and fees must be paid. A detailed business plan must be submitted that includes, but is not limited to, such items as employee training plans, security plans and design/location of the facility. To review the full details for storefront retail businesses, please refer directly to Culver City’s website. Manufacturing, Distribution, Cultivation, Laboratory, Testing, and Delivery-Only Retail Business Application If your cannabis business falls under the non-storefront retail business category, you can find details regarding the Culver City application here. The document at the link outlines key application guidelines and selection process for manufacturing, distribution, cultivation, laboratory testing and delivery-only retail businesses. Here are a few highlights of what to expect during the application process:
Next, the applicant will apply for a business tax certificate, Los Angeles county and city permits. A cannabis business application (part 2) will be submitted and the applicant will be notified when approved with a step 3 approval letter. The applicant is then required to pay building permit fees and complete the desired build-out. Inspections will be performed throughout the process. To have the best chance of having your application approved, we recommend carefully reviewing the steps and requirements on Culver City’s website Please note that there are separate requirements for testing laboratories. You can find those requirements by clicking through to page two of this document. There are several additional details such as the special cannabis tax, operating requirements, public health requirements and zoning maps. Familiarize yourself with these details available on Culver City’s cannabis specific page. Because of the limited licenses available to Culver City applicants, we suggest you consult with one of our experts to give your application the best chance possible of approval. Get in touch so we can help prepare your cannabis business, and sign up for our email newsletter for future updates from Culver City. |
