Ordinance amending the Planning Code to establish a process for the conversion of certain Medical Cannabis Dispensaries to Cannabis Retail establishments; affirming the Planning Department’s determination under the California Environmental Quality Act; making findings of consistency with the General Plan, and the eight priority policies of Planning Code, Section 101.1; and making public necessity, convenience, and welfare findings pursuant to Planning Code, Section 302.

This ordinance (File No. 250809), sponsored by Supervisor Fielder, amends the Planning Code to establish a temporary process for certain Medical Cannabis Dispensaries (MCDs) to convert to Cannabis Retail establishments. This "narrowly tailored" solution primarily benefits STIIIZY at 3326 Mission Street, which holds an Office of Cannabis permit issued by January 1, 2025, and submitted a Planning Department application by December 31, 2024. The process, which expires on December 31, 2026, exempts qualifying businesses from Conditional Use Authorizations, locational restrictions (including 600-foot buffer zones), and neighborhood notification requirements, addressing an administrative issue where the business narrowly missed a prior conversion deadline.

This ordinance allows a long-standing cannabis retailer at 3326 Mission Street to continue operating and convert to an adult-use establishment, maintaining an existing business and its contributions to the local economy without new neighborhood review processes.

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