The city of Martinez is seeking proposals from those who want to open commercial cannabis businesses here, according to an announcement released through City Planner Margaret Kavanaugh-Lunch.
Successful applicants first would receive a conditional certificate and ultimately would be awarded a commercial cannabis operating permit, needed before they could open a business in the city, the announcement said.
The city has limited the number and types of businesses that are allowed. Two dispensaries or retail cannabis stores and their associated delivery services are allowed. Other types of businesses are restricted to one – manufacturing, distribution, testing laboratory and non-storefront retail business.
There is no limit on delivery services that are based outside the city that would be allowed to take their products to clients, but those services must have cannabis delivery permits that are issued by Martinez Police Chief Manjit Sappal.
Issuing a request for proposals is the method the Martinez City Council chose to evaluate, qualify and score prospective proposals for the various types of cannabis businesses, the city’s announcement said.
But Martinez is not obligated to accept the proposals if a review indicates they’re not in the city’s best interest with regards to community health, safety and welfare, the announcement said.
Pertinent documents and a list of answers to frequently-asked questions are available online at the web page http://www.cityofmartinez.org/Depts/Planning/. To help prospective companies, the city will have a question-answer session from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. May 21 at Martinez City Hall, 525 Henrietta St.
Deadline to submit proposals is July 3.
