CONCORD — The city likely will allow more marijuana manufacturing, distribution and testing companies to operate within its borders, although it’s unclear whether the number will be limited.
The City Council on Tuesday night called for an ordinance that would open the door to businesses that manufacture and distribute recreational marijuana. It also would either raise or remove a cap on the number of medicinal marijuana manufacturing, distribution and testing laboratories, and allow them to handle recreational cannabis as well.
After California voters approved Proposition 64 in 2016 to allow adults 21 or older to legally possess up to six cannabis plants and to transport or give away small amounts of the weed, Concord temporarily banned all cannabis activities except small-scale indoor growing for personal use and delivery from outside dispensaries. The city also granted two licenses for medicinal-only cannabis distributors/manufacturers and two licenses for cannabis testing laboratories.
City staff recommended that the council allow businesses to manufacture and distribute marijuana to adults without a prescription — known as “adult-use” or “recreational” cannabis. That is where the industry is moving and would help attract “major cannabis industry players,” according to a staff report. In November, the council also is to consider allowing storefront marijuana sales.
The council unanimously agreed that medicinal marijuana manufacturers and distributors also should be allowed to provide recreational marijuana, but debated whether the number should be capped.
Council members Laura Hoffmeister and Dominic Aliano indicated there should be a cap.
“I think it’s important to have control of this business within our limits,” Aliano said.
Although most council members said they don’t think a cap on the number of marijuana distributors is needed, Mayor Carlyn Obringer said she would first want to see some information about their potential impact on commercial and industrial space.
Staff acknowledged in the report that opening up cannabis distribution licenses could squeeze the already tight market for industrial space — which had a 1.7 percent vacancy rate in July — and potentially raise commercial rents.
Obringer also wondered whether making marijuana more accessible would conflict with another city priority — banning smoking of all kinds in places such as townhouses or apartments.
The council will review the draft ordinance this fall or winter, as well as proposals regarding storefront cannabis businesses and where they should go. While the city currently has a cannabis “overlay” district that limits cannabis businesses mostly to its northern industrial area, some council members want to look at that as well this fall.
Vice Mayor Tim McGallian suggested that while it might be good to remove the overlay, he’d want to limit the concentration of cannabis businesses.
Several residents wrote to the city and spoke at the meeting to express concerns about allowing recreational marijuana.
“I understand the need for more city revenue, but please not at the expense of public health and safety,” resident Mike McDermott wrote in an email to the council, “Concord does not need to be the regional epicenter for recreational cannabis manufacturing and sales.”
But Concord police Chief Guy Swanger assured the council he doesn’t believe allowing more cannabis distributors and manufacturers to open will threaten public safety.
Residents who rely on cannabis for pain management or other medicinal uses have urged the council to make the product more accessible in the city.
“I want it to be able to get it in Concord. Why do I have to drive to Harborside (in Oakland)?” asked resident Devlyn Sewell, urging the council to move quickly. “I think you’re cheating our residents, making them run through hoops when they can’t, to get medication.”
