Willows council overturns planning commission denial, approves cannabis dispensary license with added conditions

Willows City Council voted to overturn a planning commission denial and approve a conditional use permit for a retail cannabis dispensary at 130 North Butte Street, and later approved the dispensary's business license with amended operating conditions.

Planning staff presented the appeal hearing materials and recommended approving the CUP for WWCRS Inc., which proposed to operate a retail dispensary inside an existing 1,803-square-foot building at the Willow Walk Mall. Delaney Garlic of Harrison Associates summarized staff's finding that the application met the three required CUP findings (consistency with the zoning district; no detriment to public health, safety, or welfare when operated under proposed conditions; and conformance with the general plan) and that the project was exempt from CEQA under Section 15301 for existing facilities. Garlic said staff had reviewed the applicant's phase 1 and phase 2 materials, security plan, site and floor plans, and letters of support and recommended overturning the planning commission's denial.

The planning commission had denied the CUP after a 2–2 tie with one commissioner absent; council members were told the commission could not articulate findings to support denial. The council first voted to grant the applicant's appeal and overturn the planning commission's denial by a 5–0 roll call vote.

That decision cleared the way for council consideration of a retail dispensary business license for WWCRS Inc. At a second council action later in…