The Board of Supervisors held to a deadline for recreational marijuana distributors despite a request for an extension.
Stephanie Rice, WinterStreet Law Group in Reno, representing Paladin, a Carson City-based marijuana distributor, asked the board on Thursday if the business could have until April 1 to relocate.
Paladin is currently housed in a building on property zoned Limited Industrial, which the city has decided to exclude from zones where marijuana businesses are allowed.
The business, owned by Kurt Brown, owner of Capitol Beverages, a liquor distributor, was given a temporary business license so it could distribute marijuana to retailers in jurisdictions where it is currently allowed. Carson City is waiting until Jan. 1 before allowing retail stores.
Rice said Paladin is in the process of finding a new location and must get a federal liquor license at the new address, which she said could take until at least March, and possibly until May, to receive.
“We respectfully request that an extension be made,” said Rice. “For a cushion we’re asking for April 1.”
There was discussion whether Paladin was currently distributing either marijuana or alcohol and really needed the extension.
“We were pretty hard on Jan. 1 and I’m reluctant to open that door,” said Mayor Bob Crowell. “And I’m worried that I don’t see any business transactions that help me make that decision.”
Daniel Yu, deputy district attorney, said the board’s decision was a policy decision independent of whether Paladin was actively conducting business.
The board took a brief recess and when it returned voted unanimously to stick with the Jan. 1 deadline for Paladin. Supervisor Brad Bonkowski was absent.
After the meeting, Supervisor Lori Bagwell said she didn’t see why the date should be changed.
“She didn’t provide me with any convincing reasons to move it to April 1 or June 1,” said Bagwell. “Everyone knew Jan. 1 was the date,” when the ordinance was first read at the board’s previous meeting.
The board also voted to pass an ordinance establishing business licenses for recreational marijuana businesses, including fees amounting to 3 percent of the businesses gross revenues, as allowed by Nevada law.
The supervisors accepted a business impact statement that said an ordinance to increase storm water rates does impose a direct and significant economic burden on a businesses.
David Bruketta, utility manager, said the city had not received any comments on the published impact statement.
The board also heard on first reading the ordinance, which will raise storm water rates for all users by 30 percent.
The board passed an ordinance to issue up to $6 million in sewer bonds. The spike in storm water rates will be used to service the debt on the bonds.
The supervisors also approved grant applications for money to rehab Long Ranch trails, for Cops and Kids Prevention Services, and for funds to redo the Fairview Drive to 5th Street portion of Carson Street as part of the South Carson Street Complete Streets project.
City Manager Nick Marano was appointed to replace Crowell on the Nevada Commission for the Reconstruction of the V&T Railway.