16. Review An Ordinance Amending Various Provisions of Title 17 (Planning & Development Code) Relating to Cannabis Land Uses (M25-003) File ID: 2025-00925
Our city is fighting so hard to improve safety and quality of life, especially for our kids. Removing safeguards like the CUP goes against everything we’ve worked toward. Keep protections in place.
Even alcohol sales require conditional use permits. Why on earth would cannabis not? It’s mind-blowing that this is even being considered. Please vote no.
Churches, parks, youth centers, daycares — all up for grabs now? This is reckless. These places are sacred and should be protected. I oppose removing sensitive use protections.
Keep the CUP in place. These protections exist for a reason. Every neighborhood is different and dispensaries bring unique impacts. The current process lets the public have a say. Don’t silence us.
Mayor McCarty and Members of the Sacramento City Council:
I appreciate that Planning staff included in the council staff report the Law & Legislation Committee discussion regarding A Therapeutic Alternative and their inability to apply for a conditional use permit for a cannabis lounge if the proposed ordinance is adopted in its current form.
As many sensitive uses do not require a use permit to locate next to a dispensary, legal dispensaries could become legal non-conforming dispensaries in the future, like A Therapeutic Alternative. The proposed ordinance prohibits legal non-conforming dispensaries from applying for a conditional use permit to add a cannabis lounge to their dispensary. It does not seem fair that existing dispensaries, that have all gone through the conditional use permit process, do not have a negative impact on their communities, and bring in thousands of dollars in tax revenue to the City, will not be able operate under the same regulations as other legal non-conforming businesses in the City of Sacramento if the ordinance is adopted.
I suggest that the City Council amend the proposed ordinance to delete Section 17.228.920.D.2, relating to legal non-conforming cannabis uses (Page 29 of 30, red-lined version). If this section is deleted, A Therapeutic Alternative, and other legal non-conforming dispensaries (if they choose to do so), will be able to apply for a conditional use permit to modify their business and go through the public hearing process for a cannabis lounge.
Thank you for considering amendments to the proposed ordinance to allow legal non-conforming dispensaries the ability to apply for a cannabis lounge conditional use permit.
On behalf of Midtown Association, representing more than 1,300 properties and businesses working to make Midtown the center of culture, creativity, and vibrancy in Sacramento’s urban core, we are submitting this letter for Council consideration
When Crystal Nugs went through the Conditional Use Permit (CUP) process, our site was fully vetted and approved under the sensitive use buffers required at that time. We complied with every City regulation and invested significantly in our property.
After our approval and opening, RCCG Assembly moved into the area and is now being referenced as a sensitive use within our buffer zone. RCCG Assembly established itself after our CUP was granted, and it operates only 3.5 hours on Sundays while closed the rest of the week. While we respect their presence, it is not consistent with the intent of the ordinance to penalize Crystal Nugs for a sensitive use that arrived after our lawful approval and operation.
I would also like to note, as a matter of record, that when onsite consumption permits were first approved last year, the Council included an amendment brought forward by Councilmember Valenzuela to allow for the tea garden at A Therapeutic Alternative on H Street. That motion was passed unanimously, demonstrating that Council has, in the past, recognized the need for flexibility in how these regulations are applied.
We also want to be clear that we support staff’s recommendation. Staff’s approach creates consistency, predictability, and clear standards for all operators while avoiding unnecessary complications or moving goalposts after businesses have already made major investments.
Finally, we urge Council to reconsider the pilot program timeline. Right now, it is scheduled to sunset on January 1, 2030, regardless of when applications actually open. The pilot should begin counting once intake starts, not before, so that businesses are not unfairly deprived of time under the program they have waited years to access.
Crystal Nugs is committed to being a safe, responsible operator and a strong community partner. I respectfully request that Council:
Ensure businesses are not restricted by sensitive uses that moved in after CUP approval.
Adopt staff’s recommendation as written.
Adjust the pilot program timeline so it starts with application intake, not retroactively.
Recognize that Council has already shown, through past actions, that flexibility can be part of a fair regulatory framework.
I am writing to respectfully request your thoughtful consideration in allowing the creation of a serene and healing tea garden in the enclosed rear yard of my dispensary, A Therapeutic Alternative, located at 3015 H Street in East Sacramento. This space would be discreet, not visible from the street, and would not permit onsite smoking or vaporizing.
I am requesting your input on the Agenda Item 16, regarding Amendments to Title 17 to include the position to allow non-conforming uses such as mine to go through the Planning Commission Conditional Use Permit and Public Hearing process, allowing my neighborhood to decide whether I should be allowed to provide this service or not.
When the City Council approved onsite consumption permits for dispensaries last year, I understood this decision as an opportunity for storefront dispensaries that meet regulatory requirements to provide safe, community-oriented spaces for consumers across various neighborhoods. Previous Councilmember Valenzuela, specifically made an amendment to the proposal to allow for our tea garden. The motion was passed unanimously.
However, recent proposed amendments to Title 17 jeopardize this opportunity. The proposed mandatory buffer zone regarding setbacks from sensitive uses would exclude A Therapeutic Alternative from the permitting process, despite our long-standing commitment to operating responsibly near many sensitive uses for the last 15 years.
For over 15 years, A Therapeutic Alternative has been a pillar of our community, fostering safety, support, and engagement. We have helped maintain security in our neighborhood, particularly during challenging times such as the pandemic, civil unrest, and the rise in homelessness. As active members of the McKinley East Sacramento Neighborhood Association’s Yellow Brick Road Project, our security team ensures the safety of children walking to and from Miwok Middle School. We have also established a direct line of communication with McKinley Montessori School, providing our security team's contact information—an invaluable resource that has been utilized on multiple occasions. Additionally, we take great pride in keeping our neighborhood clean through daily trash pickup, earning the appreciation of our neighbors.
As a medically focused dispensary, we primarily serve customers over the age of 60, operating with the professionalism and discretion of a doctor’s office. Our goal is to create a tranquil, educational environment where seniors can learn how to safely and effectively incorporate cannabis into their wellness routines.
This tea garden would align with the vision of other approved onsite consumption spaces in Sacramento while embodying the unique and compassionate ethos of A Therapeutic Alternative. Our motto, “We are the place you can send your mom to—and your mom’s mom,” reflects our unwavering commitment to creating a welcoming and supportive space for seniors. There is no other dispensary in Sacramento where older adults can feel as comfortable or receive the level of education and care that we provide.
Please do not go to Sun Spa, located at 6804 Fruitridge Rd #A
Sacramento, CA, 95820, as well as q spa, located at 4215 Norwood avenue, suite #12, sacramento, ca, 95838, They will all claim that they are too busy for you.
My name is Maisha Bahati, Co-Founder and CEO of Crystal Nugs, a CORE-certified social equity dispensary in Midtown Sacramento. In 2022, our dispensary was approved for a CUP, and we have already invested more than $70,000 into preparing a compliant lounge space because we are committed to this program.
I want to highlight the importance of how sensitive uses are defined in this ordinance, particularly when it comes to churches. While schools, libraries, and treatment centers are fixed institutions that make sense for buffers, independent churches are unique because they often move in and out of commercial spaces.
Here in District 4 especially, where Crystal Nugs is located, there is frequent turnover and growth. A building may be vacant one year, a church the next, and then vacant again.
Operators who followed the rules, secured CUP approvals, and made significant investments should not lose eligibility simply because a sensitive use later moved in nearby. That creates unpredictability and unfairly impacts equity and small operators, who already face higher barriers.
I strongly support staff’s recommendation, which provides clear and predictable rules, while also recognizing the Planning and Design Commission’s CUP pathway as a reasonable option for operators with unique zoning challenges.
Sacramento has an opportunity to lead with a program that is both safe and equitable. I urge you to adopt staff’s recommendation so that responsible operators committed to this industry can move forward with confidence.
Respectfully,
Maisha Bahati
Co-Founder & CEO, Crystal Nugs
Our city is fighting so hard to improve safety and quality of life, especially for our kids. Removing safeguards like the CUP goes against everything we’ve worked toward. Keep protections in place.
Even alcohol sales require conditional use permits. Why on earth would cannabis not? It’s mind-blowing that this is even being considered. Please vote no.
Churches, parks, youth centers, daycares — all up for grabs now? This is reckless. These places are sacred and should be protected. I oppose removing sensitive use protections.
Keep the CUP in place. These protections exist for a reason. Every neighborhood is different and dispensaries bring unique impacts. The current process lets the public have a say. Don’t silence us.
Mayor McCarty and Members of the Sacramento City Council:
I appreciate that Planning staff included in the council staff report the Law & Legislation Committee discussion regarding A Therapeutic Alternative and their inability to apply for a conditional use permit for a cannabis lounge if the proposed ordinance is adopted in its current form.
As many sensitive uses do not require a use permit to locate next to a dispensary, legal dispensaries could become legal non-conforming dispensaries in the future, like A Therapeutic Alternative. The proposed ordinance prohibits legal non-conforming dispensaries from applying for a conditional use permit to add a cannabis lounge to their dispensary. It does not seem fair that existing dispensaries, that have all gone through the conditional use permit process, do not have a negative impact on their communities, and bring in thousands of dollars in tax revenue to the City, will not be able operate under the same regulations as other legal non-conforming businesses in the City of Sacramento if the ordinance is adopted.
I suggest that the City Council amend the proposed ordinance to delete Section 17.228.920.D.2, relating to legal non-conforming cannabis uses (Page 29 of 30, red-lined version). If this section is deleted, A Therapeutic Alternative, and other legal non-conforming dispensaries (if they choose to do so), will be able to apply for a conditional use permit to modify their business and go through the public hearing process for a cannabis lounge.
Thank you for considering amendments to the proposed ordinance to allow legal non-conforming dispensaries the ability to apply for a cannabis lounge conditional use permit.
On behalf of Midtown Association, representing more than 1,300 properties and businesses working to make Midtown the center of culture, creativity, and vibrancy in Sacramento’s urban core, we are submitting this letter for Council consideration
Good afternoon Councilmembers,
When Crystal Nugs went through the Conditional Use Permit (CUP) process, our site was fully vetted and approved under the sensitive use buffers required at that time. We complied with every City regulation and invested significantly in our property.
After our approval and opening, RCCG Assembly moved into the area and is now being referenced as a sensitive use within our buffer zone. RCCG Assembly established itself after our CUP was granted, and it operates only 3.5 hours on Sundays while closed the rest of the week. While we respect their presence, it is not consistent with the intent of the ordinance to penalize Crystal Nugs for a sensitive use that arrived after our lawful approval and operation.
I would also like to note, as a matter of record, that when onsite consumption permits were first approved last year, the Council included an amendment brought forward by Councilmember Valenzuela to allow for the tea garden at A Therapeutic Alternative on H Street. That motion was passed unanimously, demonstrating that Council has, in the past, recognized the need for flexibility in how these regulations are applied.
We also want to be clear that we support staff’s recommendation. Staff’s approach creates consistency, predictability, and clear standards for all operators while avoiding unnecessary complications or moving goalposts after businesses have already made major investments.
Finally, we urge Council to reconsider the pilot program timeline. Right now, it is scheduled to sunset on January 1, 2030, regardless of when applications actually open. The pilot should begin counting once intake starts, not before, so that businesses are not unfairly deprived of time under the program they have waited years to access.
Crystal Nugs is committed to being a safe, responsible operator and a strong community partner. I respectfully request that Council:
Ensure businesses are not restricted by sensitive uses that moved in after CUP approval.
Adopt staff’s recommendation as written.
Adjust the pilot program timeline so it starts with application intake, not retroactively.
Recognize that Council has already shown, through past actions, that flexibility can be part of a fair regulatory framework.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
I am writing to respectfully request your thoughtful consideration in allowing the creation of a serene and healing tea garden in the enclosed rear yard of my dispensary, A Therapeutic Alternative, located at 3015 H Street in East Sacramento. This space would be discreet, not visible from the street, and would not permit onsite smoking or vaporizing.
I am requesting your input on the Agenda Item 16, regarding Amendments to Title 17 to include the position to allow non-conforming uses such as mine to go through the Planning Commission Conditional Use Permit and Public Hearing process, allowing my neighborhood to decide whether I should be allowed to provide this service or not.
When the City Council approved onsite consumption permits for dispensaries last year, I understood this decision as an opportunity for storefront dispensaries that meet regulatory requirements to provide safe, community-oriented spaces for consumers across various neighborhoods. Previous Councilmember Valenzuela, specifically made an amendment to the proposal to allow for our tea garden. The motion was passed unanimously.
However, recent proposed amendments to Title 17 jeopardize this opportunity. The proposed mandatory buffer zone regarding setbacks from sensitive uses would exclude A Therapeutic Alternative from the permitting process, despite our long-standing commitment to operating responsibly near many sensitive uses for the last 15 years.
For over 15 years, A Therapeutic Alternative has been a pillar of our community, fostering safety, support, and engagement. We have helped maintain security in our neighborhood, particularly during challenging times such as the pandemic, civil unrest, and the rise in homelessness. As active members of the McKinley East Sacramento Neighborhood Association’s Yellow Brick Road Project, our security team ensures the safety of children walking to and from Miwok Middle School. We have also established a direct line of communication with McKinley Montessori School, providing our security team's contact information—an invaluable resource that has been utilized on multiple occasions. Additionally, we take great pride in keeping our neighborhood clean through daily trash pickup, earning the appreciation of our neighbors.
As a medically focused dispensary, we primarily serve customers over the age of 60, operating with the professionalism and discretion of a doctor’s office. Our goal is to create a tranquil, educational environment where seniors can learn how to safely and effectively incorporate cannabis into their wellness routines.
This tea garden would align with the vision of other approved onsite consumption spaces in Sacramento while embodying the unique and compassionate ethos of A Therapeutic Alternative. Our motto, “We are the place you can send your mom to—and your mom’s mom,” reflects our unwavering commitment to creating a welcoming and supportive space for seniors. There is no other dispensary in Sacramento where older adults can feel as comfortable or receive the level of education and care that we provide.
Please do not go to Sun Spa, located at 6804 Fruitridge Rd #A
Sacramento, CA, 95820, as well as q spa, located at 4215 Norwood avenue, suite #12, sacramento, ca, 95838, They will all claim that they are too busy for you.
Dear Mayor and Councilmembers,
My name is Maisha Bahati, Co-Founder and CEO of Crystal Nugs, a CORE-certified social equity dispensary in Midtown Sacramento. In 2022, our dispensary was approved for a CUP, and we have already invested more than $70,000 into preparing a compliant lounge space because we are committed to this program.
I want to highlight the importance of how sensitive uses are defined in this ordinance, particularly when it comes to churches. While schools, libraries, and treatment centers are fixed institutions that make sense for buffers, independent churches are unique because they often move in and out of commercial spaces.
Here in District 4 especially, where Crystal Nugs is located, there is frequent turnover and growth. A building may be vacant one year, a church the next, and then vacant again.
Operators who followed the rules, secured CUP approvals, and made significant investments should not lose eligibility simply because a sensitive use later moved in nearby. That creates unpredictability and unfairly impacts equity and small operators, who already face higher barriers.
I strongly support staff’s recommendation, which provides clear and predictable rules, while also recognizing the Planning and Design Commission’s CUP pathway as a reasonable option for operators with unique zoning challenges.
Sacramento has an opportunity to lead with a program that is both safe and equitable. I urge you to adopt staff’s recommendation so that responsible operators committed to this industry can move forward with confidence.
Respectfully,
Maisha Bahati
Co-Founder & CEO, Crystal Nugs