When and how can I submit public comment about a dispensary? What happens with my comments?

Answer

 

How to submit public comment


The public may provide public comment (including comments, questions, and concerns) in two ways:


Written submissions at any time –

All written comments, questions, and concerns should be sent to the Cannabis Program staff at: [email protected] or mailed to: City Hall; Cannabis Program; 501 Poli Street; Ventura CA 93001.  All written submissions will be addressed in the manner described below under “What happens with my comments?”.



Public Meeting –

The public may attend the Public Meeting, tentatively scheduled in 2022, to verbally express their site-specific concerns.  Only the top applicants will be invited to attend the Public Meeting and the applicants will have an opportunity to respond to the specific concerns.

 

What happens with my public comment?


Verbal comments at the Public Meeting

  • The public will have the opportunity to provide site-specific public comment at the Public Meeting.  The cannabis business applicants will have the opportunity to respond to public comment at the meeting.  
  • Notes about the public comment will be taken at the meeting, as well as the responses from the applicants, and will be provided to the City Manager for his consideration in making his final decision.   


For written submissions to [email protected] – see below.

 

Site-specific concerns

  • These will be provided to the staff selection committee to be considered when interviewing the business applicants to make sure issues are addressed before final selections.  
  • Written comments submitted to [email protected] will be entered into the record at the public meeting.
  • If the dispensary is chosen as a finalist, this information will be provided to the City Manager with all other feedback for his consideration.

General questions

  • Please visit the City’s Cannabis Information webpage first, including the FAQs, as the answer may already be posted to the webpage.  We will do our best to provide an answer to your question within 1 week.  

 

Site-specific questions

  • During the evaluation process, most site-specific questions will not be answered.   This is in effort to protect the integrity of the merit-based evaluation process. Please submit your questions, and City staff will work to determine the appropriate response that balances the confidentiality of the evaluation process with an effort to keep the community informed.

 

Public Records Act Requests

  • Public Records Act requests will not be completed at this time during the application evaluation process.

Show All Answers

1. Where are we in the cannabis business permits process?
2. How have residents been notified about the Public Meeting?
3. What are the Next Steps following the Public Meeting?
4. What phases of evaluations have been completed so far?
5. When and how can I submit public comment about a dispensary? What happens with my comments?
6. Can the public see the evaluations?
7. How many cannabis business permits will be awarded?
8. Is the City accepting cannabis business permit applications?
9. How can I get a cannabis delivery license only?
10. How can stay informed?