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Commission approves cannabis retail conditional use at 4994 Mission Street, 5-1
Summary
After mixed public testimony about proximity to childcare and neighborhood impacts, the Planning Commission granted conditional use authorization for a BASA cannabis retail storefront at 4994 Mission Street with conditions, voting 5-1 (Commissioner Williams opposed).
The Planning Commission approved a conditional use authorization for a cannabis retail storefront at 4994 Mission Street (Excelsior/Outer Mission NCD) by a 5-1 vote on Dec. 5, following presentations from staff, the project sponsor and both supporters and opponents from the neighborhood.
Gabriela Pantoja (Planning Department staff) summarized the application: the project would establish a roughly 1,300-square-foot cannabis retail use with approximately 549 square feet of customer-facing retail, located outside a 600‑foot radius of public or private schools and other cannabis retailers. Staff noted that the project does not seek on-site consumption and included recommended conditions prohibiting on-site smoking or consumption unless and until a new CU is approved.
Gary Gee of Gary Gee Architects presented on behalf of applicant BASA and described neighborhood outreach, planned security, exterior lighting, camera coverage, indoor HVAC odor control and a compassion program the applicant operates for medical users. Supporters — including medical‑use beneficiaries and compassion-program participants — said a nearby dispensary would improve access to medicine and cited BASA’s community services.
Opponents — adjacent business owners, childcare and WIC center representatives, and nearby property owners — urged denial or relocation, citing a cluster of nearby child‑serving facilities (several commenters identified daycare, preschool and family‑services sites within walking distance), concerns about odor exposure, and the presence of existing cannabis retailers in the broader vicinity.
Commissioners asked staff to confirm consumption policies and evaluated the concentration of cannabis businesses and childcare adjacencies. Staff confirmed no on‑site consumption was included in this application and that additional consumption authorization would require a new conditional use process. After deliberation, the commission approved the CU with conditions by a vote of 5-1 (Commissioner Williams voting no).
