Council pauses retail cannabis RFA, orders professional community survey before starting permit process

The Redondo Beach City Council on July 1 directed staff to commission a professional public-opinion survey of city residents before releasing a request for applications (RFA) for commercial retail cannabis permits. The decision followed more than two hours of public comment — largely opposed — and lengthy council debate about timing, health and enforcement concerns and the city's ordinance.

Staff presented background on the March 11 ordinances that allow limited retail cannabis under defined buffers and restrictions. Jane Chung, the city’s permit administrator for the effort, described the planned RFA timeline: staff would return with two resolutions on July 15 to set process integrity guidelines and the application fee schedule; if the council then authorized the RFA, applications would be solicited in August for a 60-day window. Chung summarized the application review process, scoring matrix and an evaluation committee made up of staff from multiple departments.

During a prolonged public comment period dozens of residents, parents’ organizations and health clinicians urged the council to delay or abandon the RFA, saying retail storefronts would normalize use for youth and raise enforcement and public-health concerns. Speakers also urged putting the issue to a citywide vote or a scientific survey. Supporters of a regulated market and several prospective operators said legal outlets would reduce the illicit market and yield tax revenue.

Council members split during debate. Some said the city has spent years building a restrictive ordinance and should proceed; others said the regulatory landscape has shifted and the city should first commission data to gauge resident sentiment and clarify safety and economic expectations. Council Member Barrett raised concerns about the state's testing and regulatory capacity and whether the market is economically stable for new operators; he urged caution. Council Member Waller proposed a professional survey; the council approved that substitute by majority vote.

City staff said they will seek quotes and return with the cost and scope for a professionally administered survey; staff estimated a survey like the recent Measure FP polling would likely cost in the mid five figures and could be funded at year-end if the council chooses to proceed. The city manager said the firm would run a statistically valid sample and that results would inform whether and how to proceed with the RFA.

Quotes in context: Jane Chung, the city’s RFA lead, told the council, “Should the city council choose to move forward with initiating the RFA process, staff will return with 2 key resolutions.” Council Member Barrett cautioned, “I’m not fully persuaded that there’s necessarily an August rush,” and asked the council to consider waiting for more regulatory and market clarity.

Next steps: staff will solicit quotes for a professional community survey and return with a proposed scope and budget for council approval. Only after the council reviews survey results would staff publish any RFA, the timeline for which would be set by the council.