BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) \u2014 The California City Council passed an ordinance Tuesday night temporarily prohibiting new cannabis businesses in the city in the hopes of addressing several issues like odor control and public safety concerns related to the industry.<\/p>\n
The four members of the City Council unanimously voted to adopt a zoning urgency ordinance that would impose a temporary moratorium on the approval of new cannabis uses and approvals, including pending applications.<\/p>\n
Watch \u2018After Sunrise\u2019 on KGET+; Click to learn how to get KGET+ on your smart TV devices <\/a><\/p>\n The ordinance went into effect immediately for 45 days.<\/p>\n The city will continue accepting applications, but won\u2019t be able to approve them. Existing cannabis businesses can continue operating without any changes but can\u2019t expand.<\/p>\n City officials identified seven \u201cimmediate threats\u201d that additional cannabis businesses would pose, including odor issues and public safety concerns.<\/p>\n Councilman Ronald Smith said he doesn\u2019t know how cannabis businesses are able to operate when they clearly lack proper filtration systems and Cal City\u2019s municipal code calls for zero emissions.<\/p>\n He said 45 days would give the city a chance to work on at least some of its issues with the cannabis industry.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is not shutting things down, this is trying to get our house in order,\u201d Smith said.<\/p>\n Mayor Marquette Hawkins said public safety concerns arise from cannabis facilities and locations that close and leave behind \u201ca trail of trash and paraphernalia and unsafe materials in their wake.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI think in doing this, it would help to benefit the community as a whole,\u201d Hawkins said at the meeting.<\/p>\n The City Council also discussed possibly requiring performance bonds for new businesses coming into Cal City.<\/p>\n