The City of Denver uses GIS tools like ArcIMS, Geocortex, Accela, and MapIt Denver to manage its marijuana permitting process. Applicants submit paperwork through Accela, which uses spatial alerts to check for proximity to other retailers, schools, and daycares. If approved, GIS generates a notification area and report for a needs and desires hearing. The system streamlines permitting while ensuring compliance with regulations. Future plans include expanding data and customizing Geocortex for this workflow.

1. Using GIS in the
Marijuana Permitting
process
Bruce M Reagan, GISP
Judy Steele, Deputy Director, Excise and Licenses
City and County of Denver

2. Overview
 Retail Marijuana sales are now legal in the City of Denver
 Must be permitted by the City and the State.
 Excise and License is the Agency responsible
 GIS is used to evaluate the suitability of locations

3. Meanwhile….
 The City began implementing Accela as its Permit issuing
softare
 The Denver GIS Intranet application (ArcIMS) was being
replaced with Geocortex
 Used both to help with this process

4. Permitting Process
 Applicant fills out some ‘paperwork’
 Permit staff evaluate suitability
 A needs and desires hearing is to be performed – GIS used
to help determine who is to be notified.
 If hearing is successful, City permit is issued – applicant
proceeds to the State.

5. Permit Application Process
Application
Preliminary
Approval
Hearing
Notification
Needs and
Desires
Hearing
Approval –
Proceed to
State

6. Permitting Process - Accela
 Permits are applied for using the Accela software.
 Accela enforces permitting rules.
 Accela has a series of spatial ‘Alerts’.

7. Accela Alerts
 An address is entered
 Address checked to determine:
 Validity of the address
 Proximity to
Other retail marijuana sales
Child care centers
Schools

8. Data requirements for Accela Alerts
 Other Marijuana locations
 Requires a validated address. Validation produces an X,Y stored in Accela
 Nightly script updates the GIS layer
• Child Care locations
• Permits stored in Accela.
• Requires a validated address. Validation produces an X,Y stored in Accela
• Nightly script updates the GIS layer
• Schools
• Includes both public and private schools. Data layers maintained
by Community Planning

9. Accela Spatial Operators
 What is an address?
 Point to Point
 Point to Polygon
 Polygon to Polygon
 Regulation currently being revised
 Opportunity for GIS Education

10. Accela – mostly non graphical

11. Proximity Alert violation

12. Accela Proximity Discussion
Opportunity for GIS Education
To Permitting and Legal staff

13. MapIt Denver
 Geocortex based application
 Displays 500 layers stored in 72 services
 Multiple viewers tailored to individual departments
 Customizable workflows

14. MapIt Denver – CPD Viewer

15. MapIt Denver – I Want To …. Evaluate a Retail
Marijuana License

16. MapIt Denver – Enter an Address or Pick
from Map

17. MapIt Denver – Geocode, Zoom, Center,
Draw the Box - Editable

18. MapIt Denver – Report is a PDF
Contains a map, list of licenses
And RNO contact information

19. Marijuana Site Evaluation workflow
 Enter an address
 Address validated against the Denver Address database – obtain an X,Y
 Overlay to retrieve the other retail locations within 1000’ buffer
 Point in polygon to get a list of Registered Neighborhood Organizations in
which the address falls
 Generate a report

20. MapItDenver Workflow Demonstration

21. Future plans
 Add Medical Marijuana permits to the report.
 Make changes as the Regulations change
 Create a Geocortex Site that is specific to this workflow.
 Obtain data outside the City

22. Shameless plug
DMMS2016.org
38

23. Contact Information:
 Bruce Reagan
 Associate GIS Developer
 Bruce.reagan@denvergov.org
 (720) 913- 5883
 Judy Steele
 Deputy Director, Excise and Licenses
 Judy.steele@denvergov.org
 (720) 865 - 2765