To: Sonoma County Board of Supervisors
Department or Agency Name(s): Permit Sonoma
Staff Name and Phone Number: Tyra Harrington, Code Enforcement Manager. (707) 565-1280
Vote Requirement: Majority
Supervisorial District(s): All
Title:
Title
Code Enforcement Amendments to Sonoma County Code Chapters 1 and 26
End
Recommended Action:
Recommended action
Adopt an Ordinance amending Chapter 1 to consolidate enforcement provisions, establish new civil penalties, address environmental damage, align the violation correction period with state law, make other technical and clarifying changes, and amending related provisions of Cannabis Enforcement and Vacation Rental Enforcement, Chapter 26 (Zoning Code). (Second Reading)
end
Executive Summary:
This is the second reading of an Ordinance (Item 2020-0792) introduced by the Board on August 11, 2020, and modified and reintroduced by the Board on August 18, 2020, wherein Permit Sonoma recommended approval of amendments to Chapters 1 (General Provisions) and 26 (Zoning Regulations) of the Sonoma County Code.
Discussion:
On August 11, 2020, the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors introduced, read the title of, and waived further reading of the Ordinance with certain modifications to the proposed changes to Chapter 1. Specifically, these changes included:
A. Decreasing the low end of the civil penalties range for residential violations from 3 times the standard permit fee to 1.5. (See Attachment 2 Section 1-7.1(a)(2)(iii).)
B. Not adding a per plant penalty for cannabis cultivation. (See Chapter 1 redline attached to August 11 item Section 1-7.1(a)(4)(iii).)
On August 18, 2020, the Board modified the proposed ordinance to reduce the permit multiplier civil penalty for violations associated with unpermitted cannabis from a maximum of 50 times the standard permit fee to a maximum of 10, in line with other commercial violations. (See Attachment 2 Section 1-7.1(a)(4)(iv). The Board then reintroduced, read the title of, and waived further reading of the Ordinance.
These changes are incorporated into Attachment 2 “Ex. A: Draft Chapter 1 Amendments.”
Prior Board Actions:
A. August 18, 2020: Board introduced, read the title of, and waived further reading of a modified Ordinance amending Chapters 1 and 26 to improve code enforcement.
B. August 11, 2020: Adopted a Resolution introducing, reading the title of, and waiving further reading of an Ordinance amending Chapters 1 and 26 to improve code enforcement.
C. October 16, 2018: Final adoption of Phase 1 of the updates to the Cannabis Land Use Ordinance
D. July 24, 2018: Final adoption of Administrative Citations and Chapter 1 amendments (Ordinance No. 6236)
E. December 20, 2016: Final adoption of Cannabis Land Use Ordinance
Fiscal Summary
Narrative Explanation of Fiscal Impacts:
Not applicable.
Narrative Explanation of Staffing Impacts (If Required):
Not applicable.
Attachments:
ATT 1: Draft Ordinance amending Chapters 1 (General Provisions) and Chapter 26 (Zoning Code)
ATT 2: Ex. A: Draft Chapter 1 Amendments
ATT 3: Ex. B: Draft Cannabis (Sec. 26-88-252) Amendments
ATT 4: Ex. C: Draft Vacation Rental (Sec. 26-88-120) Amendments
Related Items “On File” with the Clerk of the Board:
None