Board upholds Planning Commission, clears cannabis dispensary at 5801 Mission Street despite neighborhood opposition

After more than three hours of public testimony and a contested appeal, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors on Sept. 21 voted 8–3 to uphold the Planning Commission’s approval of a conditional use authorization for a 2,055‑square‑foot cannabis retail outlet at 5801 Mission Street in the Excelsior/Outer Mission neighborhood.

The hearing included extended presentations by the appellant, San Francisco Christian Center, and the project sponsor (Relief), followed by roughly six hours of public testimony spread across the meeting’s special‑order public hearing. Dozens of callers opposed the project, citing proximity to the Center’s after‑school program, clustering of cannabis establishments in the district, limited grocery access, outreach to monolingual residents and public safety and…