Santa Clarita issued a notice of public hearing regarding the selling and growing of marijuana in the city.
The public hearing is scheduled for the City Council’s next regular meeting March 27. It will be the first reading of a new city ordinance that would prohibit all commercial land uses of recreational marijuana, according to Dave Peterson, associate planner of community development for the city of Santa Clarita.
If approved, the ordinance would put regulations in place for the growing of marijuana in a home. Some of the regulations include limiting the number of plants growing at one time to six, prohibiting the use of combustible gases during the growing process and standards for disposing of plants grown at home.
After the first reading the City Council will have the chance to approve it. If approved, the ordinance would pass to a second reading, which could happen as early as April 10. City Council can then choose to adopted the ordinance after the second reading or send it back to city staff, according to Dave Peterson.
Members of the public were sent notices March 6 informing them of the public hearing, according to Peterson.
The city currently restricts the sale of recreational marijuana in city limits. This moratorium was renewed in November 2017 to give city staff time to form the proposed ordinance regarding this issue, the council said during their November meeting.
A Google search would show a number of marijuana related businesses already in Santa Clarita. There are no legal commercial related businesses of any kind in the city, according to city officials. This includes medical marijuana businesses, which have not been legal since 2008.
In 2016, California approved Proposition 64, making marijuana legal for recreational use.
This new law goes against current federal law, which prohibits the use of marijuana. Under the Controlled Substances Act, cannabis is considered a schedule one drug, labeling it as highly addictive and having no medical value.
Timeline of Marijuana legalization in CaliforniaÂ
Moscone Act (July, 9 1975) treats the possession of one ounce of marijuana as a misdemeanor  instead of a criminal offence.
Prop 215 (November, 5 1996) The Compassionate Act of 1996 legalized the use of marijuana for medical use statewide. It passed with 56 percent of the vote.
Prop 36 (November, 7 2000) The Substance Abuse and Crime Prevention Act of 2000 required first and second offence drug violators be sent to treatment programs instead of facing trial. It was passed with 61 percent of the vote.
SB 420 (October, 12 2003) The Medical Marijuana Program Act established the current practice of medical marijuana ID cards. It also allowed the formation of nonprofits to provide drugs to patients.
SB 1449 (September, 30 2010) Further reduced the charge of possession of an ounce of marijuana or less from a misdemeanor to an infraction.
Proposition 64 (November, 8 2016) Adult Use of Marijuana Act legalized the sale and distribution of marijuana. Adults are allowed to possess one ounce of marijuana for recreational use and can grow six plants or more with a license.
Santa Clarita Moratorium (January, 24 2017/ November, 28 2017) Â Santa Clarita restricts the sale of recreational marijuana was put in place until the city could create their plan to best deal with the recent legalization. They extended the moratorium later that year.
