City of Moline Request for Information Cannabis Business Establishments

City of Moline

Request for Information

Cannabis Business Establishments

Responses to be submitted by October 4, 2019

The City of Moline is deliberating the policy choices associated with permitting and regulating recreational cannabis businesses within the City. The City desires to gather a complete set of data on the issues and accordingly is reaching out to the recreational cannabis industry to obtain information from qualified cannabis business establishments--including craft growers, cultivation centers, dispensing organizations, infuser organizations, on-premises cannabis consumption establishments, processing organizations, transporting organizations, and such other cannabis business establishments authorized by the Illinois Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act (410 ILCS 705/1-1, et seq.)--concerning the industry’s perspective on location, size, scope of operations, utility requirements, infrastructure needs, benefits to the community and other related information if the City were to permit operations within the corporate limits.

Advertisement Date: September 13, 2019

Deadline for Responses: October 4, 2019

Background on the City of Moline. The City of Moline is located in the heart of the Midwest, nestled between the banks of the Mississippi River and Rock River on Illinois’s western border. Moline is the ninth most populated city in Illinois outside of the Chicago Metropolitan Area with an estimated 43,483 people. Moline is one of the “Quad Cities” which, along with Rock Island in Illinois, and Davenport and Bettendorf in Iowa, make up a metropolitan area with more than 380,000 people.

Location. Moline is located approximately 165 miles west of Chicago and midway between Minneapolis to the north and St. Louis to the South. Within a 300-mile radius of Moline, 37.4 million people reside. This comprises almost 13% of the nation’s population. Moline and its neighbors help form the largest urban concentration between St. Louis and Minneapolis along the Mississippi River. Major interstates I-80, I-88, and I-74 provide ready access in all directions, making the region a preferred location for logistics and distribution facilities.

Business Information. The Quad Cities region is home to Fortune 500 company John Deere and 150 other Fortune 500 and 1000 companies have a presence in the region as well as the Rock Island Arsenal, a major military installation. The region has experienced a 5.2% increase in economic strength over the past five years, including $1.3 billion in total capital investment, plus the creation of 3,100 new jobs.

About this Request: On June 25, 2019, Governor J.B. Pritzker signed the Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act making Illinois the 11th state to legalize recreational marijuana. The Act provides for the controlled legalization of adult use cannabis in Illinois beginning January 1, 2020. Various agencies in state government are charged under the Act with implementing and administrating multiple aspects of the program, including licensing and oversight of cannabis business establishments.

At the same time, Illinois municipalities retain authority to ban or significantly limit cannabis businesses in their jurisdiction including adopting reasonable zoning ordinances, and ordinances and rules governing the time, place, manner, and number of cannabis businesses, as long as such ordinances are consistent with the Act. Municipalities are also permitted to adopt ordinances imposing a local tax on the operation of cannabis dispensaries at a rate not to exceed 3%.

Prior to considering any laws or regulations governing cannabis business establishments, the City seeks to gather information from craft growers, cultivation centers, dispensing organizations, infuser organizations, on-premises cannabis consumption establishments, processing organizations, transporting organizations, and such other cannabis business establishments regarding the criteria identified below. The City believes the information gathered through this RFI along with its own evaluation of the legal, economic, social, and public policy implications of regulating cannabis business establishments will assist the City Council and City Staff in better understanding how the Act can best be administered and enforced in the City to further the public health, safety and general welfare of the community.

Content of Responses: A complete response (12 paper copies and one flash drive) will consist of:

1) Business Information 2) Intended Operations 3) Land Use Data (including such things as desired locations, number of locations, building appearance and security, anticipated signage and advertising strategies) 4) Benefits to the Community beyond the possible 3% tax revenue (e.g., community involvement, programs sponsored to offset any deleterious effects from cannabis usage, etc.) 5) Any addenda or additional descriptions respondents would like to provide.

I. Business Information

Company Name Contact Name Address City State Zip Code Country Phone Number Email Owner/Manager Corporate Headquarters in Quad Cities Area? Number of years in Rock Island County, if any?

2 II. Operations

Briefly describe your business including the specific type(s) of cannabis-related products and services you intend to offer. Does the intended operation include a cannabis consumption lounge? Yes ____ ; NO _____

If yes, is the lounge operation an essential pre-requisite to conducting the operation at all? If yes, please explain.

Expected Number of full time employees? Expected Number of part time employees? What are your transportation needs (trucks, delivery services, etc.?) What utilities are required? (Note any unusually high usages such as electricity, water, etc.) What capital investment is required? (Buildings, equipment, etc.) Do you intend to own or lease? What is the amount of square footage? Do you transact business though E Commerce? (Describe) What factors would contribute to a decision to locate in Moline?

III. Land Use

Moline’s retail, commercial and industrial businesses are primarily located in 2 resource districts (AG-2, C-2), 2 office districts (O-1, ORT), 5 business districts (B-1, B-2, B-3, B-4, NC), and 2 industrial districts (I-1, I-2). The Zoning and Land Development Code includes a series of land uses and bulk standards that are permitted in each zoning district. Standards and regulations vary from district to district in order to maintain the character of each district.

A copy of the City’s Zoning Map can be accessed HERE.

Please describe the district(s) you believe are most compatible to the needs of your business. Identify any variances or special uses that may be required and what the business’ general requirements would be for the following:

 Signage  Parking  Lighting  Landscaping  Accessory structures  Fencing

IV. Community Benefits

Please describe how your business would contribute to the general welfare of the City’s residents (beyond the sales tax revenues and jobs created).

3 V. Addenda

Please provide additional information that may be helpful for the City to better understand the nature and scope of your business. Feel free to discuss any public economic incentives, grants, development processes, and other factors that are potential aspects of your business plan.

Notices: All communications concerning this RFI shall be provided in writing, via U.S. Mail, email, or other similar means. Reference the RFI- Cannabis Business Establishments in the subject line of all electronic correspondence. Responses and any questions may be directed to:

REMEMBER TO INCLUDE AN ELECTRONIC COPY ON A FLASH DRIVE WITH YOUR COPIES OF YOUR INFORMATION.

THANK YOU!!

Lisa A. Kotter City Administrator City of Moline 619 16th Street Moline, IL 61265 Phone: 309-524-2002 Email: [email protected]