Should a small town have a weed shop? Stanislaus supervisors will decide the issue

A public hearing before the Stanislaus County Board of Supervisors later this month could decide the fate of a cannabis outlet in Denair.

Last month, The Honest Choice asked county planners to approve a use permit and development agreement for the existing retail business at 4701 Main St., Suite D, between San Joaquin and Alameda avenues. But the Planning Commission turned down the request on a 4-3 vote.

The Honest Choice has received support from neighboring business owners, who signed letters, and was endorsed by the Denair Municipal Advisory Council.

At the planning commission meeting May 2, three speakers spoke in favor of the permit and no one opposed it. The cannabis store conflicts with two county policies for commercial cannabis: It’s within 600 feet of a park in Denair and within 200 feet of a residence.

Under the county’s cannabis ordinance developed after marijuana was legalized statewide in 2016, a park may be considered a youth center in determining whether a cannabis outlet is too close to a place where young people gather.

County planning commissioners have been reluctant to grant exceptions to “setback” requirements, or rules designed to avoid conflicts between commercial cannabis and neighbors

The county has been processing 33 applications for a total of 44 commercial cannabis permits in unincorporated areas. The Denair weed shop would be one of seven retail outlets allowed under the county’s ordinance. Supervisors were expected to schedule a public hearing on the Denair permit for 9 a.m. June 25.

The store owner did not return a call from The Modesto Bee.

This year, some permit applications for cannabis greenhouses and nurseries have been quashed by neighborhood opposition, while others have sailed to approval.

The retail permit would allow Honest Choice to provide cannabis products daily from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. to customers for medicinal and recreational use.

According to a county staff report, the small-town outlet has surveillance systems, and armed security will be posted during business hours.

This story was originally published June 3, 2019 at 4:17 PM.