Notable changes to Concord’s cannabis regulations, including allowing up to two retail storefront businesses and two locally-based delivery businesses, will be considered Tuesday night by the Concord City Council.
Proposed changes to the city’s cannabis regulations – first created in 2005 pertaining to medical marijuana – would also allow: up to five cannabis manufacturing licenses (up from two), two “microbusiness”
licenses for operators whose businesses do cannabis cultivation, distribution, manufacturing and retail (at least three of those operations), along with no limit on the number of cannabis testing labs.
Proposed areas where such businesses would be allowed include the North Concord area north of Arnold Industrial Way and west of Port Chicago Highway; a small light-industrial area immediately east of Buchanan Field; a small light-industrial area surrounded by Interstate Highway 680, state Highway 242 and Willow Pass Road; and a small light-industrial area south of Monument Boulevard near Costco.
A city staff report also says Concord could consider placing a cannabis tax revenue measure before local voters in the future.
The Concord City Council meeting begins at 6 p.m. at City Hall, 1950 Parkside Drive.
50 comments
Concord is going to Pot
It is quickly becoming the slum I have spent my life avoiding.
We don’t need any in Concord. It’s all about the taxes and nothing else!
I prefer my tax dollars go to Concord and not Berkeley.
Me, I agree!!
I can see it now …
More Beer! & More Wine!
… and now More Pot!
Hahaha
+1
“A city staff report also says Concord could consider placing a cannabis tax revenue measure before local voters in the future.”
That tax will be on the ballot next election.
And not one penny will go toward City infrastructure.
A recent 60 Minutes report showed that the taxed mj growers are losing money because the state and local governments take so much that the illegal grows are far more profitable. Taxing a newly emerging business out of existence is not a good plan.
California has been taxing its people out of existence, there is no cure for stupidity…
And yet we still have the 5th or 6th biggest GNP in the world! Evidently, things aren’t as bad as you think. You can always move to Washington – they don’t have an income tax. How about Texas? Arizona?.
Aren’t many people still buying their pot other than from legal retail outlets because legal pot costs more? The taxes and regulations on the legal retailers pushes up the price, so another tax will likely not bring in as much revenue as the city would anticipate. The state has already found that out.
There is definitely a lot of adult folks who still purchase their cannabis through the black market. However, many users/patients/customers who prefer lab-tested, professionally grown, and quality cannabis are still willing to pay the taxes. Most storefronts or delivery services often incorporate special promotions and membership benefits to keep their consumers coming back and slightly less disgruntled about the high taxes. I used to work for a cannabis storefront and there was no shortage of business due to the imposed taxes. In fact, I often found myself meeting new patients or customers daily who were turned on to cannabis post-legalization. NOT EVERYBODY will purchase from licensed and regulated business. More habitual and pervasive users will indeed probably look for cheaper cannabis options, but the majority (my estimate) will purchase thru a licensed business that sells lab-tested cannabis to ensure quality and preserve any potential health related issues (such as the vaping related lung illnesses attributed to black market cannabis oils). It is worth paying the tax!
Where will the tax dollars go? Well, I guess all we can do is hope that the community will vote efficiently and hold our local governments accountable…
Let me guess, the taxes will be used to shore up the city/state/county employees pensions and retirement medical benefits.
FYI – warren’s plan for “medicare for ALL” does not include the generous medical plans written into the govt. workers contracts. Private company employees lose their plans, but govt. workers keep theirs. And I think that the govt. union employees usually vote democrat. Surprise, surprise, surprise.
burnbabyburn – uh what generous health plan. County retirees pay plenty for health care. Crappy County Health is $380 a month for those not Medicare eligible and Health Net PPO for a single is $1600+ a month.
Please research before shooting off your mouth.
One of the most ignorant comments ever posted here. Those of us on Medicare paid plenty into the system to get that benefit and our Social Security check as well, so back off, boy!
Lets see here, there is no vaping and you can’t smoke anywhere any more so let’s open some pot shops. Just in case you can’t leave your house we will have two business that will deliver pot right to your door.
I told you the world has gone mad.
The tax will not be enough to pay for the policing and many pot shops are not doing well because outlaw pot is much cheaper. Maybe they could sell pot at the Safeway.
When compared to alcohol, cannabis is much safer. If somebody wants to have cannabis delivered to their doorstep from a licensed business who comply with strict regulation, what’s it to you? It actually decreases the likelihood of cannabis-related DUI’s/stoned drivers by using that method of purchase. People can have just about any alcohol or food delivered right to their door step. The difference in how many view those services vs cannabis delivery services is the stigma behind cannabis use. The world has indeed gone mad, but I do not view this as a threat to communities. I am THRILLED personally and believe that it will have a great economic impact on counties who are open to hosting and taxing these businesses. Not saying it won’t have its flaws, which most industries do. But the cannabis industry is not the evil that some portray. I’ve been on the seller and buyer side of the regulated industry and 100% support this as it will have a positive net impact, if executed as well as Alameda and San Francisco counties have implemented this industry.
Pot Man
Here is reality. Pot stores robbed once a week and delivery drivers being given fake addresses and being rolled. Hardly enough to pay for the taxes they bring in.
You are uniformed man. You see the stats you want to see. There are tens of thousands of medical patients in CA that are effected by a lack of access. There are seniors in Concord that have a terrible time getting their products. That is who you are keeping from getting their cannabis.
If the City creates a direct distribution to the public from the manufacturing sites already approved within the City do we really need a retail shop?
Buying direct from mfgrs gives you one brand. When I buy groceries I go to Luckys. I don’t go to 50 different mfgrs to buy my items. If you are intetested, go to Harborside Oakland website and see the hundreds of choices offered in smoke, vape, candies, cookies, creams, etc. Like a grocery store, items go on sale. I like a gummy that is $20 for 10-20 doses. When it’s on sale 50% off, I buy several pkgs. They also offer 15% senior discount on nonsale products, just like some stores.
Great, keep it in Oskland.
Shouldn’t there also be a vendor at the Farmer’s Market?
Incredibly lame-brained way to spend one’s disposable income.
Not if you’re in pain, or have trouble with insomnia! Then it’s well worth the price!
Self medicating, just like alcohol and drugs. There simply is no difference.
I would prefer paying taxes to a local community than to Oakland which is where I go to buy THC and CBC products. At my age I no longer know local pot dealers plus I prefer tested products. I rarely smoke as prefer to eat gummies. I don’t care to get high much these days but welcome the relief from serious back pain.
I just want to be able to grow a few plants of my own UNDER THE FREE SUNLIGHT, and not have to pay the criminals at PG&E for the power grow lights require. The ban against outdoor growing in Concord is stupid.
I was told it is only illegal to be a nuisance to your neighbors.
In the past year, families with teens and kids have weighed in against retail marijuana at Concord City Council meetings. If Concord caves in to the marijuana activists and allows retail marijuana, they will doing a great deal of harm. Teens who live in neighborhoods where they see drug activity going on, are more likely to try drugs themselves.
If you are on the fence on this issue, do a Google search on:
“Teen marijuana use and IQ”.
Lots of information is available on-line. For example:
POT not so harmless for teens
https://researchblog.duke.edu/2019/04/30/teenage-marijuana-use-lowers-i-q/
Let other cities sabotage and dumb down their kids.
Keep Concord family friendly. Stop retail pot stores.
what a funny comment.
@Forsythe
So up until now, teens have never heard of or used pot?
I wonder how teens who live in nice suburban neighborhoods from the 60’s until today found out about it. Certainly, a lot of boomers are back to using it now that it’s illegal.
My almost 70 year old husband just decided to stop drinking regularly in favor of having a toke now and then. It has definitely been an improvement in his personality
My Grandson informed me that in WC there’s plenty of pot (and those kids got money) around the 7/11 on Civic Drive, right behind WCI. Do any of you think making up rules for store fronts will do anything except move things around? And BTW, that 7/11 has a beautiful display of Juulu products.
It’s always interesting to see marijuana addicts ramble on about what a good thing legalization is. People might believe that right until some pot head hits you head on..
Way more likely to happen from a drunk driver. Pot just makes people drive slower.
Let’s forget about this kind of crap.We don’t need that kind of business in our community.Lets take care of the roads and and clean up our crime and the people roaming the streets.Then let’s put some money in replacing the City Council .
Oh my god people. The sky isn’t falling. It’s legal now. Join the current times.
Being legal doesn’t make it a good idea.
Just grow your own pot!
The problem with that(in Concord anyway) is that they only allow indoor growing,which damages a house over time,and is poor quality yield from no sunlight,just artificial light.I know some will disagree.Indoor is sub par.
Agree Anon.
At Jon…as I stated earlier
“I was told it is only illegal to be a nuisance to your neighbors”
I agree, the sun brings out the essence.
Pay attention and I will say it again in English-It is illegal to grow pot outdoors in Concord.
“I was told: it’s only illegal blah blah” is idiotic.It’s the law,not your delicate emotions that you’re supposed to follow as rule..I smell another liberal.The law is not how you feel or “what you heard”
Thank you Jon for clarifying that.
It’s make me feel good to know you always follow the law.
Have a great day.
@Jon- Why call out liberals? People of every party smoke now and then.
Besides, you are the one who seemed to get their feelings hurt enough to call others out
Sorry to tell you Jon, but lots of people have been growing pot outdoors in Concord for a very long time. Used to be you could ever get good seeds from the Concord Feed store. Just ask nicely. The weather can be perfect if you pick a good spot. Water it while it’s getting going and then stop watering it in the fall so it will panic and push out big juicy flowers. I never knew that you were such a law abiding citizen. I guess that means you’re not speeding down my street either. Thanks for that.
Incorporate it officially near Concord BART….The clientele and sellers have their business model working there already. Just make it safer for the rest of the passengers. So tired of the pot solicitors hasslung riders as they approach the station.
The only people Concord actually does anything for in the long run are the few city”leaders”..It’s like royalty and the peasants below.
‘let em eat cake” they proclaim from their ivory towers.
Any new business isn’t meant to please the citizens,it’s just for higher city salaries.
I hate to be a buzzkill, but marijuana is still illegal in the United States, even in California.
Should see how many city council members are trying to get in on these pot businesses before the permits are approved. If only a couple permits are approved and some councilmen are in with the businesses that would be pretty shady
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