Commission backs CannaClub equity applicant for Inner Richmond location at 3407 Geary

The Planning Commission voted to approve CannaClub’s conditional use authorization for 3407 Geary Boulevard, an equity‑applicant cannabis retail storefront proposed by Henry Chan, following a staff recommendation and extensive public comment.

Planning staff summarized outreach (a virtual town hall Nov. 19 and contact with 16 neighborhood organizations), a petition of 110 signatures and messages for and against the project. Staff noted eight messages of support and six opposed in the department record and recommended approval, finding the project compatible with the neighborhood and useful for activating a vacant storefront.

Applicant Henry Chan and community liaison Sarah Schrader described proposed community benefits including an estimated 10 full‑time living‑wage positions, neighborhood outreach and security measures. Schrader said the applicant expects between 150 and 250 daily visitors and emphasized the equity program’s objective to support applicants impacted by the war on drugs.

Public testimony was mixed: many neighbors and community members, including healthcare professionals and people who use medical cannabis, urged approval for reasons of access and jobs. Other nearby residents opposed locating a dispensary in a family‑oriented area and objected to proximity to preschools and concerns about youth exposure. Staff clarified that the city’s siting rules use K–12 schools for the 600‑foot distance requirement and that the closest K–12 school was approximately 660 feet away.

Following deliberation and additional clarifying questions about outreach and equity applicant rules, Commissioner Tanner moved approval; the motion carried unanimously (6‑0) after Commissioner Diamond recused from this item due to proximity.