Riverside is revisiting regulations on cannabis dispensaries after concerns surfaced about where the businesses plan to open up shop.
The Riverside City Council recently agreed to potentially limit cannabis storefronts to no more than two per ward after asking city staff to study the issue.
California legalized recreational marijuana in 2016, when voters passed Proposition 64. A slight majority of Riverside County residents voted yes, with 52.9% supporting the measure.
In 2017, the Riverside council passed, then extended a moratorium to prohibit commercial marijuana businesses, with exceptions for lab testing facilities. A year later, the council agreed to prohibit commercial cannabis businesses, except for testing laboratories.
But in October 2023, Riverside cleared the path for cannabis storefronts.
At a meeting Jan. 7, the council voted 4-3 to direct staff to study possible cannabis storefront regulations. Councilmembers Steven Robillard, Sean Mill, Chuck Conder and Jim Perry voted for the study and Councilmembers Philip Falcone, Clarissa Cervantes and Steve Hemenway voted against it. The study is due back to the council by the end of April.
“I just think we need to take a step back and look at this,” Conder said at the meeting. “I think 14 (storefronts) is too many.”
The council directed city staff to conduct further study on population in each ward and proximity of cannabis businesses to sensitive receptors. The review will also examine how many cannabis retailers — likely fewer than 14 — and how many manufacturing, distribution and testing facilities the city should allow.
City staffers will look into limiting cannabis business permits to two per ward, limiting them to industrial areas, establishing a minimum distance between cannabis businesses, possibly limit the number of cannabis business permits authorized to a number less than 14 and conduct a crime analysis, according to a city report.
The city received over 40 applicants for cannabis permits in December 2023, and narrowed the list to 14 applicants. Should those applicants move forward with the permit process, they would have to adhere to any regulations the council may approve later this year.
Several speakers at the Jan. 7 council meeting expressed concern about the delays the council’s action will cause to applicants working to open storefronts.
“This is no longer a cannabis issue,” said Elliot Lewis, CEO of Catalyst, which has two cannabis business applications pending in Riverside. “This is a moral and an ethical issue.”
He said Riverside seemed like a business-friendly place, but the flip-flopping on allowing legitimate cannabis storefronts is an issue.
“This would not be an issue with any other business,” Lewis added.
“I don’t think it’s fair we’re being put through this ringer, when there’s already been things set forward to allow us to do our business,” said Blake Collins, another cannabis business applicant.
Other speakers at the council meeting raised concerns about the proposed locations of some of the cannabis businesses.
Nicholas Adcock, president of the Riverside Chamber of Commerce, said he approved of the businesses coming in, but had concerns about their proximity to sensitive receptors.
Matthew “Boomer” Shannon agreed, saying he favored further study of the permits.
“Do the right thing and create a fair and equitable structure for these industries to come to this city,” said Shannon, a resident and former chief of staff for former Riverside County Supervisor Jeff Hewitt.
