Final I-300 Rules Scheduled for Public Hearing June 13: Campaign Supporters Raise Concerns

As sponsors and supporters of Initiative 300 — Denver’s Neighborhood-Supported Cannabis Consumption Pilot Program, which was approved by voters last November –  Denver Relief Consulting would like to bring to the attention of campaign supporters and local voters, an urgent call to action from the I-300 campaign to protect the intent of the initiative and ensure the pilot program is implemented fairly and reasonably. It’s been a long road so far since the I-300 campaign launched last year, and since the discussion around consumption policies began shortly after the passage of Amendment 64 in 2012. Denver Relief Consulting and the many supporters of I-300 are eager to finally see the social consumption program go into effect, but we are also watching the rule-making processes very closely and speaking up when necessary.

Specifically, the I-300 campaign is calling on the Department of Excise and Licenses to implement the initiative without being overly restrictive and placing unnecessary burdens on consumers or businesses. The intent of the initiative is to create designated cannabis consumption areas (“DCAs”), where adults can consume cannabis in social settings, safely, legally and responsibly – and the city and its respected neighborhood leaders can have input and transparency over the permitting process. We are advocating for a reasonable public policy that balances the rights of cannabis consumers and non-consumers alike. I-300 is the nation’s first voter approved, and city regulated social consumption law, and it was created as a pilot program for the purpose of evolving and allowing the community, and really the whole world, to learn from it. The program sunsets by 2020, and we are confident that cannabis consumers will be responsible and social consumption businesses will benefit the community.

On May 11, the City released its final draft of the proposed rules. Shortly after, the campaign issued the following statement:

We are glad city officials are moving forward with implementing the voter-approved initiative to permit social cannabis consumption in certain venues, but we have strong concerns about some of the unreasonable rules they have proposed. Cannabis is a legal product for adults in Denver, and voters have repeatedly asked that it be treated similarly to alcohol. The city’s proposed rules fail to do that and treat cannabis in a far more restrictive fashion despite it being a far less harmful substance to consumers and to the community. Why should adults have to sign an acknowledgment form every time they enter an area where cannabis consumption is allowed, when such a requirement would be unthinkable when it comes to venues that allow alcohol consumption? Why should cannabis consumption areas need to be located twice as far away from public recreation centers and childcare facilities as bars and other venues that serve alcohol? Why should cannabis consumption be prohibited on a rooftop deck solely because it is visible to someone standing on the roof of an adjacent building? The goal of Initiative 300 was to end the unfair treatment of cannabis consumers, but some of the proposed rules reinforce the stigma it was intended to break. Prohibiting liquor-licensed establishments from allowing cannabis consumption areas disqualifies virtually every entertainment venue in town. These unnecessary and overly burdensome rules will deter businesses from seeking permits, in which case consumption will continue to take place in non-permitted areas. If permitted cannabis consumption areas are not allowed inside these businesses, the city will have to deal with it taking place outside on the streets and in the alleys surrounding them.

The I-300 campaign also published a sign-on letter and is asking all supporters to sign on to help the campaign build public pressure on the city to address these concerns! The letter will be submitted next week before the city’s public hearing on June 13, when the rules are anticipated to be adopted. The letter outlines the following complaints the requests regarding the city’s final draft rules for the consumption pilot program:

1. Remove prohibitions on the dual licensing and consumption of cannabis and alcohol – as this prohibits the vast majority of businesses from participating in the pilot program, (including concert and entertainment venues), where cannabis consumption is currently demanded by their customers and occurring in Denver. Concerns about dual consumption of both substances can be better addressed through staff training and monitoring. We will accept a compromise that prohibits consumers from using both cannabis and alcohol at the same time and in the same areas, but we would urge the rules be changed to allow businesses to create adjacent consumption areas on the same premises and allow consumption of either substance at the same location at different times. For example, a concert venue that serves alcohol should be able to permit a designated smoking patio on the same premises, where cannabis consumption would be allowed and alcohol would not, and they should be allowed to host events that allow cannabis consumption at times when alcohol is not being served.
2. Remove prohibition on Cannabis Consumption Special Event Permits at events that also have special event liquor permits – for the same reasons listed above.
3. In definitions, provide further clarification of “other places intended for use primarily by persons under 18 years of age.” If the current definition can be applied to restaurants, movie theaters, arcades, etc., the rule could make it difficult for businesses and neighborhoods to determine the appropriate locations for DCAs.
4. Remove the requirement that government-issued identification is required from all patrons before they are allowed access into a consumption area, because this is far more stringent than the requirements for establishments that allow alcohol consumption. The rule is redundant and unnecessary because the rules already clearly require consumption areas be restricted to persons age 21 and older.
5. Remove the requirement that all patrons entering a consumption area must sign an acknowledgement form. We will accept a compromise that the acknowledgements are posted visibly near the entrance, containing a declaration that all customers are responsible for his/her own actions, will consume responsibly, will not drive impaired, and will not sell or distribute cannabis for remuneration.
6. Reduce proximity restrictions from 1,000 feet to 500 feet, from any school, child care establishment, alcohol or drug treatment facility, or city-owned recreation center or city-owned outdoor pool. These proximity restrictions are far greater than the restrictions on liquor licenses, and significantly reduce the areas and number of properties that may be eligible.
7. Remove the permit location restrictions that prohibit any particular parcel of land containing a liquor license or marijuana establishment from participating, regardless of units, suites, rooms, or other similar descriptors, which essentially prohibits “neighboring” or “adjacent” businesses from participating and will exclude tenants at most multi-unit properties “mini malls” from participating.
8. Remove the permit location restriction for any location on public property and owned by the city. This rule prohibits major events like the 420 rally, cannabis cup, and Red Rocks concerts and events from responsibly managing and designating consumption areas, although cannabis consumption is currently demanded by customers at these events and occurring. We believe this decision is best determined by the respective city departments responsible for maintaining such properties (Parks and Recreation), or ultimately the City Council.
9. Remove the permit location restriction for any location that is situated in a residential zone district – because this directly conflicts with language in the initiative which states “A designated consumption area shall not require specific zoning permits, and shall be permitted in any zone lot where the underlying business or event is permitted”, and because this rule will significantly reduce the areas and number of properties that may be eligible.
10. Remove requirements for a ventilation plan because this rule is unnecessary for outdoor patios where open air flow is unable to be properly ventilated, and because this is redundant with the requirements to provide both evidence of compliance with the Clean Indoor Air Act and an Odor Control Plan.
11. Remove the prohibition on public advertising or reduce its scope and effect to allow for some forms of limited public advertising – as this prevents businesses from effectively reaching and welcoming tourists who need access to designated consumption areas.
12. Remove the proposed rule that makes permits non-transferable, because this is more restrictive than for other liquor and marijuana licenses, and because this rule circumvents the flexibility that eligible neighborhood organizations were intended to have when creating workable agreements with permit applicants and potential future transferees.
13. Revise the proposed rule limiting possession of edibles to eighty (80) ten milligrams servings within a DCA, because rarely are edibles sold in eighty milligram serving seizes and recreational users can purchase a single, 100 milligram product. It does not make sense to restrict possession of cannabis and cannabis products more stringently than what state law already permits or inconsistent with the market, and it could create problems for enforcement.

The campaign remains concerned the rules impose too many burdens and restrictions on businesses and consumers. The campaign’s proponents, including Denver Relief Consulting’s Kayvan Khalatbari and Emmett Reistroffer, believe the current draft rules frustrate the intent of the initiative and should be revised substantially. Khalatbari and Reistroffer are asking the city to consider the proposed recommendations.

The public hearing is scheduled for June 13, at 5:30pm at the Wellington Webb building in Denver. If you are interested in submitting your own letter or attending the hearing to testify and express your concerns, please contact the Campaign Director at [email protected]

Click here to learn more about the advisory committee and draft rules.

I-300 Final Rules – Public Hearing

Tuesday, June 13 at 5:30 p.m.

Webb Municipal Office Building, Room 4.G.2

201 W. Colfax Ave.

Click here to sign our supporter letter!