Cannabis Program Update & Environmental Impact Report

Public Comment Period for Draft Cannabis Land Use Ordinance Now Open through May 3, 2024

County officials are seeking feedback on the proposed Cannabis Land Use Ordinance and General Plan Amendment. These documents do not include all alternatives or policy options that will be presented to the decision makers, as many will be informed by the Environmental Impact Report.

Although comments can be submitted at any time throughout this process, comments submitted within 30 days of publication of this draft Ordinance would best assist staff in the development of the final project proposal to be evaluated in the Environmental Impact Report.

Written comments may be submitted via email to Cannabis@sonoma-county.org or sent by mail to Permit Sonoma, Attn: Cannabis Ordinance Update, 2550 Ventura Avenue, Santa Rosa, CA 95403.

Link to Draft Cannabis Land Use Ordinance, General Plan Amendment, and other documents (SoCo Cloud link)

Link to interactive Cannabis Ordinance Update GIS map

Public Informational Meeting - December 13, 2023

Permit Sonoma hosted two public informational meetings on December 13 to update the public on the development of the “residential enclaves” mapping and key program elements. The same information was presented at both meetings.

Link to Documents, PowerPoint Presentation, and Q&A Report (SoCo Cloud link)

Link to Zoom Webinar Recording

Link to interactive Cannabis Ordinance Update GIS map

Notice of Preparation and Public Scoping Meeting for the Cannabis EIR

The County prepared and released a Notice of Preparation (NOP) on February 6, 2023, held a virtual public scoping meeting on March 8, 2023, and provided a public comment period through March 23, 2023 to allow an opportunity for agency staff and interested members of the public to submit written and verbal comments on the scope of the environmental issues to be addressed in the EIR. The NOP provides a brief summary of the Update, the County’s preliminary identification of the potential environmental issues to be analyzed in the EIR, and information on how to provide comments. The scoping meeting included a presentation on elements of the Cannabis Program Update, a summary of the NOP, and the broader CEQA process to come. 

Read the Notice of Preparation (PDF: 953 KB)

Link to Scoping Meeting PowerPoint Presentation (English and Spanish)

Scoping Meeting Zoom Recording

Link to comments received during the NOP public review period (February 6, 2023 through March 23, 2023)

Ascent Environmental, Inc. selected as consultant for Cannabis Program Update EIR and Economic Analysis

Permit Sonoma released a Request for Proposals (RFP) on May 20, 2022, to solicit proposals to prepare a Programmatic EIR and an Economic Analysis in support of the Comprehensive Cannabis Program Update. Two firms responded with proposals for the requested scope of work: Ascent Environmental, Inc. and Rincon Consultants, Inc. 

County staff evaluated and scored both proposals in accordance with the evaluation criteria outlined in the RFP. The review panel consisted of four staff members from the Planning Division of Permit Sonoma and one staff member from the County Administrator’s Office. Ascent was unanimously scored as the preferred bidder because of the proposal’s strong emphasis on environmental review streamlining of future cannabis applications and demonstrated experience conducting similar environmental reviews for other California county cannabis land use ordinances. 

The Board of Supervisors approved the selection on October 4, 2022. 

Item Materials on Board of Supervisors Agenda website

Review the proposals

Read the Request for Proposals

Cannabis Program Update & EIR Public Comment