On November 8, 2016, California voters passed Proposition 64, the Control, Regulate, and Tax Adult Use of Marijuana (“AUMA”) Act. This law legalizes nonmedical, recreational marijuana, subject to the regulation of local government jurisdictions in the State of California.
Following a thorough evaluation process, the Madera City Council has awarded all eligible Standard Retail or Microbusiness and Social Equity Commercial Cannabis Business (CCB) Permits within the City of Madera. No further applications for these specific CCB Permits will be accepted at this time. It is important to note that there is no limit on the number of vertically integrated, cultivation, distribution, manufacturing, or testing lab CCB Permits in the City of Madera.
For cannabis related inquiries, please contact Will Tackett, Community Development Director, at wtackett@madera.gov or (559) 661-5451.
To access a comprehensive archive of significant historical events related to the legalization of cannabis sales in the City of Madera, please visit our Additional Cannabis Resources page.
January 12, 2024 - Indemnification Agreement Deadline for Standard Retail/Microbusiness CCB Permittees
February 7, 2024 - Regular Meeting of the City Council (Consideration of Approval of Indemnification Agreements)
May 11, 2024 - Community Benefit Agreement Deadline for Standard Retail/Microbusiness CCB Permittees
In accordance with § 6-5.08 of the City Municipal Code, any person who is an owner, employee or who otherwise works within a cannabis business must be legally authorized to so and shall be required to submit to a criminal background check for themselves and all persons in their employment. Please use the portal below to submit applications for background checks to HdL on behalf of the City of Madera.
The City is diligently advancing through the commercial cannabis application process. We are now at a pivotal stage where we are making available the (Standard) Commercial Cannabis Application Phase II Evaluation Reports. These reports represent the original evaluations conducted during Phase II. Subsequent corrections or adjustments have not been incorporated into these documents but will be reflected in the final ranking report.
To respect various legal and operational considerations, some portions of the evaluation reports have been partially redacted to protect public safety, maintain the integrity of the deliberative process, safeguard trade secrets, and prevent disclosure of other sensitive items that are not currently deemed suitable for public release.
We value your interest and engagement in this process, and we are committed to providing you with the information you need to stay informed. If you have any questions or require further clarification, please do not hesitate to reach out to our team. Your involvement is essential as we continue to shape the future of cannabis in our City.
Click to access Application Evaluation and Review Scores for Phase II.
The ordinances permitting and regulating commercial cannabis activity in the City of Madera can be found here:
Ord 976 C.S. Cannabis 06.16.21
Ord 977 C.S. Cannabis 06.16.21
Res 20 80 HdL Companies Cannabis
Res 21 63 Initiating Text Amendment Zoning MMC Cannabis
Res 21 123 HdL Companies 09.01.21
Res 21 167 Cannabis Number & Type Of Permits 12.01.21
Res 21 168 Cannabis Fees For Commercial Permits 12.01.21
Res 21 169 Cannabis Procedure Guidelines 12.01.21
Res 22 10 Cannabis Business Tax Rates 01.19.22
Res 23-146 CCB Permit Awards (Social Equity)
Res 23-206 CCB Permit Awards (Standard Retail/Microbusiness)
Applications:
Property Owner Consent Landlord Affidavit
Madera Cannabis Business Application Social Equity
Financial Responsibility And Indemnification Agreement
Cannabis Business Application Standard Vertically Integrated
Business Ownership Acknowledgement
Application Guidelines:
Application Procedures And Guidelines Vertically Integrated
Application Procedures And Guidelines Standard
Application Procedures And Guidelines Social Equity
Please confirm if a Labor Peace Agreement is required to submit with an application or not?
The Labor Peace Agreement is not required to be submitted with the original application. Pursuant to Ordinance 977 C.S., 6-5.13 (G), applicants that have not yet entered into a labor peace agreement shall provide a notarized statement indicating that within 30-days of cannabis permit from the City, the applicant will enter into and abide by the labor peace agreement.
Could you please specify the proof of insurance requirements?
The Commercial Cannabis Business Application requires the applicant to, at minimum, show proof of insurability. Actual insurance policies do not need to be submitted but will be required prior to the awarding of the business permit. A simple letter on company letterhead stating that the applicant is eligible to be insured upon the issuance of a cannabis permit would be acceptable.
If any applicant entity is 100% owned by another entity, should the owners of the owning entity be disclosed on the Ownership Form? How do we not make it confusing and disclose both the entity that owns 100% and all owners that own a different percentage of the head entity?
Yes. The applicant should provide a detailed description of the ownership structure. If the applicant is an entity then all entities and individuals with a financial interest in the entity shall be disclosed to the City and may be considered owners of the commercial cannabis business as defined in Ordinance 977 C.S., 6-5.06 Definitions (T)(6). This includes all entities in a multi-layer business structure, as well as the chief executive officer, members of the board of directors, partners, trustees, and all persons who have control of a trust and managing members or non-member managers of the entity. Each entity disclosed as having a financial interest must disclose the identities of persons holding financial interests until only individuals remain.
Will only the owners disclosed on the Ownership form be allowed to interview?
Yes. Only the owners disclosed on page 3 of the Commercial Cannabis Business Application will be allowed to participate in the interview process.
Will managers who do not own any equity or financial interest and are not included on the ownership form be allowed to interview?
No. Managers who do not own any equity or financial interest or are not disclosed on page 3 of the Commercial Cannabis Business Application will not be allowed to interview.
Where can we find a detailed score breakdown of each section?
HDL’s evaluation report will be disclosed on future FAQs prior to the June 20, 2022, close date.
Do we have to provide proof of residency?
Yes. Pursuant to page 12 of the Application Procedures and Guidelines Standard, applicants attempting to prove compliance with the local ownership requirement need to show verifiable evidence by way of mortgage statements, lease agreements, tax bills, utility bills, or any other documentation capable of established residency prior to the June 1, 2021 date.
Please refer to the City's Event Calendar for upcoming meetings.
For more information, please visit our Additional Cannabis Resources page.