The operators of a proposed cannabis business that initially had been rejected by the city of Martinez, and who later successfully appealed that rejection to the Martinez City Council, can now formally apply for a permit to establish a cannabis business they hope will one day evolve into manufacturing.
The City Council’s approval last week is a key step in what has been a longer journey than anticipated for the owners of Opposite Coast LLC, who first submitted a proposal in June 2019 for a 10,000-square-foot cannabis
manufacturing business at 4808 Sunrise Drive, in a light-industrial area on Martinez’s east edge.
Plans are for Opposite Coast’s operation to be in the same building as what was originally to be called Firefly (now the Velvet retail cannabis store) already operated by Opposite Coast’s owners. The Yerba Buena Logistics cannabis distribution and non-storefront retail business is also based in that same building.
This past January, OC’s owners proposed changing their business from a manufacturing business to a cannabis product labeling and packaging business, asserting that manufacturing was not financially viable at that point. City staff initially rejected OC’s proposal, based on a set scoring system.
OC’s owners appealed that rejection to the City Council, which on July 29 upheld OC’s appeal. The council required OC to return with a modified proposal that specifically wouldn’t allow manufacturing; OC followed through on that.
Martinez, among Contra Costa County cities, has been an early embracer of commercial cannabis. Firefly first applied in September 2017 to operate its retail shop, which opened (renamed as Velvet) this May.
In January 2020, the City Council approved its second, and final, retail storefront permit to Embarc, partly owned by the family of retired Congressman George Miller. But its proposed location, at the former California Collectible Books store on Alhambra Avenue two and a half blocks from Alhambra High School, drew harsh criticism from school district officials and members of the general public.
In December 2019, the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors selected four prospective operators of retail cannabis dispensaries in the county; one of them proposes opening a store on North Pacheco Boulevard just
outside Martinez city limits. The others would be in El Sobrante, Pacheco and Bay Point.
The Democrat’s love to keep the voters High. Never mind what’s going on behind the curtain.
How is marijuana worse or any different than getting drunk? If it creates jobs and brings in tax dollars, where is the issue? Also, unlike alcohol and tobacco, marijuana isn’t habit forming or addictive.
Unlike marijuana, alcohol and tobacco are legal in the United States.
Anyone who doesn’t acknowledge alcohol is 100 times more dangerous than marijuana is insane. We lose thousands of Americans to alcoholism a year, not to mention the hundreds or thousands who die in alcohol related violence and DUIs.
Give me a break. Cannabis should perhaps be given to alcoholics to keep the maniacs from being so destructive and to mitigate their excessive usage of the far, far more dangerous drug.
According to Yelp there are 20 liquor stores in a five mile radius from me so…. I don’t see the problem.
Did anyone notice that County Supes didn’t approve cannabis businesses for Lamorinda region? Not in My Neighborhoods….
@Cowellian- it’s pretty well known that the alcohol and tobacco industry along with the Pharmaceutical companies have done everything they can to block the legalization of weed. Billions spent backing anti legalization and billions to each political party to keep it illegal. It’s all about profit
I wish the narrow minded would open there eyes & do research cannabis clubs are always well taken care of bright well lit parking clean parking lots & paid security but I guess you prefer liquor stores with trashy parking lots with drunks sleeping in the bushes while his buddy harasses you for beer money you make the choice me personally I have never felt unsafe or worried at a dispensary but there are plenty of sketchy liquor stores in Martinez, Concord , Pleasant Hill do yourself a favor go check out Velvet or Delta Dispensary or CoCo Farms you may be surprised the industry isn’t as bad as you thought 🤷♂️🤷♂️
I offered no opinions. I just stated a fact.
Martinez wants people to park so they can feed the meters(and get parking tickets),they do street sweeping only to cite and tow cars,it is sham of a city and not here for its people or any people at all.Martinez get %60 of all its revenue from collecting fines from people that regret ever visiting or living in their city.You live there once and never go back,no matter how fresh the air is(it isn’t anymore)