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Residents urge Sonoma to release RFP for second dispensary, citing ethics and safety concerns
Summary
Multiple speakers during public comment asked the Sonoma City Council to release a request for proposals (RFP) for a second cannabis dispensary, criticizing existing operators’ practices and urging an ethical alternative in city limits.
Several residents urged the Sonoma City Council during public comment on Aug. 26 to hasten a request-for-proposals process for a second cannabis dispensary inside city limits, saying current options force residents to choose between operators with problematic histories.
Gil Latimer, speaking from Grant Court in Sonoma, told the council the city's inaction had created a “false choice” between “a documented unethical” operator and a business owned by a person he described as a purveyor of bigotry and violence. Latimer said the council should “release the RFP for the second dispensary and give Sonoma the ethical business options our community deserves.”
Other speakers from the Sonoma Valley Cannabis Group, including Perry Ellis Paniyawa, described safety concerns about operators with out-of-area locations and cited an arrest allegation involving a store owner. Resident Josette Rose Eicher urged the council to move ahead with the item the city manager said would be brought to council in September to get direction on dedicating staff resources to a second dispensary RFP.
City Manager Gruen told the meeting that he had responded to the Sonoma Valley Cannabis Group that he was working on an item to bring to council in September to get direction on dedicating resources to a second dispensary; he said he would keep interested parties posted.
Why it matters: Speakers characterized the issue as a choice between competing ethical concerns — alleged business misconduct versus alleged discriminatory behavior by an operator — and said an RFP would give residents an alternative. Council did not take action on the RFP during the meeting; staff said a discussion item is planned for September.
Ending: The council did not vote on the item during the meeting. Staff said the city manager will bring an agenda item in September seeking council direction on dedicating resources for a second dispensary RFP.
