Moreno Valley officials have set the stage for a range of legal marijuana businesses to open in Riverside County’s second-largest city while limiting the number of commercial pot enterprises to 27 — eight of them dispensaries.

The widely anticipated move, approved Tuesday, March 20, comes as the city is working to shut down illegal pot stores.

City Attorney Martin Koczanowicz said that since last summer the city has discovered 20 dispensaries operating illegally in Moreno Valley and closed 15. It’s now working to eliminate the other five.

Though recreational marijuana has been legal in California since Jan. 1, Moreno Valley had yet to issue a permit because it was still working on a regulatory package.

In adopting the package of ordinances and resolutions on Tuesday, however, the Moreno Valley City Council paved the way for rolling out one of the more permissive marijuana programs in the Inland Empire. The council voted 4-1 to pass the measures, with Councilman Jeffrey Giba voting no.

The council set caps on the number of firms that may receive permits to operate in each of six business categories, and limited them to certain commercial, industrial and business-park zones.

The council rejected a call from public speakers to increase the total number of allowable dispensaries, and decided to shave city officials’ proposed target of 10 dispensaries to eight, at the suggestion of Councilman Ulises Cabrera.

The council is expected to give the final green light to the measures in two weeks.

In anticipation of approval, city officials said they intend to accept online applications from prospective operators April 2 through May 11 and then begin reviewing applications.

On Tuesday, the council agreed to contract with HdL Companies of Diamond Bar, which has experience administering marijuana programs in California, Colorado and Washington, to run Moreno Valley’s program. The city agreed to pay the firm $167,250 for the balance of the fiscal year that runs through June, and $281,000 annually the next four years.

A companion land use ordinance allows up to eight dispensaries, eight cultivation facilities, five manufacturing plants, two testing facilities, two distribution centers and two cannabis microbusinesses. The latter would be small, one-stop shops that have at least three of four types of marijuana operations: cultivation, manufacturing, dispensary and distribution.

“It’s my understanding,” Councilwoman Victoria Baca said, “that these microbusinesses are going to be like an Apple store. That’s how classy they are going to be.”

Cultivation, manufacturing and testing operations would be restricted to business park and light industrial zones along the south side of the 60 Freeway between Moreno Beach Drive and Theodore Street, the east side of the 215 Freeway and the north side of Cactus Avenue between the 215 and Heacock Street.

Other types of businesses could locate in commercial zones along freeways and major streets, such as Alessandro Boulevard and Perris Boulevard.

On the other hand, pot enterprises may not set up in areas within 600 feet of schools, day care centers, youth centers and other sensitive land uses, said Richard Sandzimier, acting community development director. That, a city report states, leaves about 1,450 acres in various zones eligible for marijuana businesses.

Before they may open, businesses must obtain conditional use and commercial cannabis business permits from the city, and a state license. There are extensive conditions, including posting security guards, officials said. Marijuana growing operations are permitted only indoors, and plants must be hidden from view.

Prospective operators also face an annual permitting fee of $58,000.

Some of the 13 public speakers who addressed the plan Tuesday, including Alfie Hernandez, thought the fee was too high.

“This program is going to crash and burn before it even gets off its feet,” Hernandez said.

Roy Bleckert warned that “if you overtax it … you will strengthen the black market and you will not have the legal businesses get a foothold. You will kill an industry.”

Council members said the fee is designed only to recoup the city’s costs.

However, later this spring the council is expected to take up a proposal to ask voters in November to tax marijuana businesses.