Monterey County is awarded $1.74 million in new state cannabis control grant

CALIFORNIA, Calif. (KION) California's Department of Cannabis Control DCC created a new grant program to help local government transition businesses from provisional licenses to annual licenses. Monterey County was awarded $1.74 million in funding to go towards the workload of transitioning these businesses and also creating a more streamlined licensing process, as well as helping them meet California Environmental Quality Act requirements.

According to the DCC Director, the eligible jurisdictions received funding because of the high number of cannabis businesses, including cultivators, in the area that have unique regulatory needs.

Monterey County is among 17 counties and cities that were awarded between $400 thousand and $22 million from the state's $100 million programs. The City of Los Angeles received the most with $22 million and the city of Commerce received the most with $417 thousand

In Monterey County, alone, there are 457 cultivation licenses, 48 nurseries, 66 distributors, 30 manufacturers, 23 retailers, and 1 testing laboratory, according to a Fiscal Analysis made for the City of Monterey when they considered zoning cannabis dispensaries in different parts of the city. Annual permit fees commonly range between $10,000 and $30,000, with an average of around $20,000.

You can see the local cannabis retail location in our coverage area below.