Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Riverside council deadlocks on tighter cannabis location rules after heated debate
Summary
Council considered an ordinance to tighten retail cannabis location rules—raising park buffer distances and excluding downtown placemaking zones—but multiple motions to adopt the changes failed for lack of the four affirmative votes required under council rules. Applicants and their counsel warned of stalled permits and possible litigation.
City of Riverside councilors failed to approve proposed amendments to the city's commercial cannabis rules after extended debate and public criticism of the permitting process. Staff presented an ordinance to amend Chapter 5.77 and Title 19 of the Riverside Municipal Code to increase certain separation requirements—Planning Commission staff recommended raising the distance between retail cannabis storefronts and parks from 600 feet to 1,000 feet—and to bar storefront sales from the city’s defined placemaking/downtown areas.
Senior project manager Kyle Wercinski, presenting staff recommendations, said the changes were intended to “ensure commercial cannabis business compatibility with existing businesses, to prevent concentration of cannabis permits, and prohibit permit locations in…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
