Cannabis In Concord: City Council To Discuss More Licenses

CONCORD, CA — An ordinance that would increase the number of city cannabis licenses available, as well as the types of licenses available, will be discussed Tuesday night by the Concord City Council.

Among the changes set to be discussed are increasing the maximum number of cannabis-business licenses overall, expanding the number of types of allowable businesses from three to seven, and removing the distinction between medicinal and adult-use (recreational) cannabis uses as included in the city's allowable cannabis license types.

The maximum number of cannabis product manufacturing licenses would rise from two to five, and the maximum number of testing laboratory licenses available would go from two to no limit.

Proposed new categories of licenses include storefront retail businesses (delivery only, no on-site sales, maximum of three licenses), non-storefront retail establishments (maximum of three licenses) and "microbusinesses," growers of cannabis on an area less than 10,000 square feet, accompanied by other retail functions.

The proposed changes in the city's cannabis regulations are the latest in a long string of incremental changes in the city's stance on accommodating marijuana businesses, following the November 2016 voter approval of the state Adult Use of Marijuana Act approving recreational
marijuana use by adults. In July 2017, the Concord City Council amended the city's municipal code to allow delivery of medicinal cannabis from licensed dispensaries outside the city.

Tuesday night's council meeting begins at 6:30 p.m., and will be a remote meeting conducted over the internet. To watch, with an opportunity to offer comment, go to a livestream on the city website or watch on Comcast Channel 28, Wave Channel 29 or U-verse Channel 99.

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