City of Morro Bay issued the following announcement on Jan. 18.
The City of Morro Bay conducted an internal review into whether any violation of either Morro Bay Municipal Code Chapter 5.50 (Commercial Cannabis Operations Regulatory Program) or State commercial cannabis regulations occurred in granting a commercial cannabis operating permit to Natural Healing Center-Morro Bay (“NHC-MB”). This review was done after charges were brought by the Federal Bureau of Investigation against NHC-MB’s former owner Mr. Helios Dayspring for bribing a San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisor and for false income tax returns. The City has concluded its review and determined that Natural Healing Center-Morro Bay properly received its permit to operate a commercial cannabis retailer operation.
The City of Morro Bay’s commercial cannabis operations regulatory program creates a stringent three-step procedure to review and evaluate all applicants and/or applications for a commercial cannabis operation permit. A determination is not made by a single individual and/or body. Each step of the three-step procedure is reviewed by a different person and/or committee. It should be noted that the City Council is not involved in any of the review and has no authority over permit issuance. The City’s internal review concluded that no impropriety occurred during the three-step process.
This conclusion is also supported by the Court’s order in the case of Connected Morro Bay Blvd., LLC. v. City of Morro Bay, et al., San Luis Obispo County Superior Court Case No. 19-CV-0479. The Honorable Ginger E. Garrett issued an order which set forth that the evidence failed to establish bias on the part of the City in favor of NHC-MB. It further found that the City and/or its officers did not violate any provision of the Morro Bay Municipal Code, or any other law, when awarding the permits.
The City further determined Mr. Helios Dayspring has divested himself of all ownership interest in commercial cannabis retailer operation permit holder Natural Healing Center-Morro Bay. Mr. Dayspring is not an employee of, and has no ownership interest in, permit holder NHC-MB.
The City has concluded this review with no further action at the present time to be taken concerning this matter.
Original source can be found here.
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