by Garth Meyer
The Redondo Beach city council voted 4-1 Tuesday night, Jan. 21, to take another step toward a final set of ordinances to open retail cannabis shops in town.
The council took in testimony on some last particulars.
“I kind of feel like we’re getting to the point of perfect is the enemy of good-enough,” said Mayor Jim Light.
Georgette Gantner, a candidate for mayor in the March election, as is Light, asked if the public has ever been asked if they want cannabis dispensaries in Redondo Beach.
“Have they voted ‘yay’ or ‘nay’?” she said.
Mayor Light responded that, “we’re not required to put it to a vote… We’ve never directly polled the people.”
He noted the 2016 statewide initiative to legalize marijuana, which the majority of Redondo Beach voters supported. “But beyond that there’s been no formal vote,” Light said.
Gantner’s question related to a presentation made in December by City Councilman Scott Behrendt, laying out his reasons to oppose what would be two total stores in Redondo Beach.
He was the “no” vote Tuesday to proceed with the ordinances.
Little further public comment was given at the city council meeting.
The city’s planning commission will next review the three ordinances Feb. 3, followed by another reading by the city council Feb. 11.
One of the ordinances lays out the two cannabis stores’ buffer zones, operational standards, application procedures, taxes and security. Another makes it so a shop would be allowed in the inland part of the Redondo Beach, and the third ordinance would permit one in the Coastal zone.
Councilman Zein Obagi, Jr., cited the city’s past experience with illegal cannabis dispensaries, saying “we spent enormous amounts of money trying to crack down on them, and oust them, only to see the owners (open up another shop) somewhere else,” he said. “What we’re trying to do here is get something legal going that generates revenue so we can invest in public safety and education for our youth to stay away from cannabis.”
Councilmember Paige Kaluderovic noted that city staff, and the previous city council, has spent “hundreds of hours” on the subject.
“This is just completing the infrastructure to open two cannabis stores when the time comes. Those are all my comments right now.”
The city estimates each shop could bring in $225,000 to $450,000 in annual tax revenue to Redondo Beach, given the proposed cannabis tax rate of 4.5%.
Fees to apply for a store license are expected to run $12,000 to $16,000. Those awarded a license would pay a similar annual regulatory fee. ER
