The Martinez City Council on Wednesday night approved permits for the city’s second cannabis dispensary, despite objections from local school administrators and almost two dozen other people that it would be too close to Alhambra High School.
Councilmembers said they were conflicted about the would-be location of Embarc, 2-1/2 blocks from the high school on busy Alhambra Avenue. None said in the 3-0 vote, with one abstention, that the location was ideal, but they said the dispensary’s operators, the family of retired Congressman George Miller, not only met all the requirements and more for approval, but that the longtime Martinez family is staking its legacy on its operation.
Councilman Mark Ross said it’s better to have a great operator closer to the school than a “so-so” operator further from the campus.
“I trust the family, and the (city) staff trusted them, as well,” said Ross, who along with Lara DeLaney and Debbie McKillop voted in favor of the certificate for Embarc. Councilwoman Noralea Gipner abstained, backing off of a Nov. 20, 2019 “yes” vote, saying she supported the Millers but not the shop’s location. Mayor Rob Schroder was absent from Wednesday’s meeting.
Wednesday’s vote was made over the strenuous objections of Martinez schools Superintendent CJ Cammack and two school board trustees who had contended they were not given sufficient notice ahead of planning for, and voting on, the Embarc dispensary. Cammack told the council he was “begging” them to find a different location for the cannabis shop.
“Retail cannabis doesn’t have to infringe on the school district,” Cammack told the council. “If you can’t do that tonight, don’t vote ‘yes’ until you can.”
“If you don’t want the wood to burn, don’t put it next to the fire,” said Martinez parent Rene Giron Jr. “Just because you can (approve), doesn’t mean you should.”
According to a city staff report, Martinez officials including police Chief Manjit Sappal met with Cammack and prospective dispensary operator George Miller IV (the son of the former Congressman George Miller)
on Dec. 4 to discuss the situation. Embarc officials offered several new measures to address many of the school district’s concerns, including an additional representative on a Community Advisory Board dealing with dispensary-related issues.
Those measures weren’t enough for the school district to give its blessing. Earlier Wednesday, the school district released a statement opposing Embarc’s location.
“Although students won’t directly access the products of the dispensary due to strict industry regulations, there are concerns about having any business on a shared property border that requires extensive security provisions and multiple security guards,” Cammack said in the statement.
The dispensary’s proposed location shares a property line with the school district’s Adult School campus, another sore point with district officials.
Cammack’s statement continued, “The school district will consider any and all remedies available to carry out the obligations owed to the students and citizens of our community and to protect all rights and uses of school district property.”
George Miller IV told Wednesday’s crowd his firm probably can’t make everyone happy, but that it will strive to be a good neighbor. “Hopefully, a year from now, you’ll feel better about the choices the (city) staff made,” he said.
Added Lauren Carpenter, Embarc’s head of strategy, “They understand the family legacy can be gone in a day.”
That didn’t impress an angry John Fuller, a school board member. “The Miller family … their reputation is tarnished.”
Patrick Tuck, an attorney for the school district, was there Wednesday night, too. “The next step will be to talk with the school district officials,” Tuck said after the meeting. “Obviously, they’re not happy with the decision.”
44 comments
George Miller IV all you have to know. It is called political nepotism. Or a cowardly city council.
He’s got a far better reputation than the scum bag in the WH, who the fools elected president, so that’s all I need to know. Besides, the kids probably have more and better pot than the dispensary, so there’ really no problem.
John P seems like the president must have done something to you. Would you care to talk about? I am sure all of us fools would like to hear.
John P, please show us on the dolly where Donald touched you.
The dirt bag sold us out to Russian interests; threatened to withhold needed arms from an ally; reversed 40+ years of environmental protection measures; and the biggest hurt – the coward used a bought and paid for excuse to avoid the draft. I didn’t; I served; and if any of you cowards want to meet up and discuss it, let me know when and where. I learned a few things on my tour.
Of course they did…..
Funny how that works – the more things change, the more they don’t.
The more things change, the worse they get
Good luck with that thoughtless decision
Ricardoh, all of the above and more
People under 21 aren’t even allowed inside a dispensary so why should this even matter if its near a school. This is just just more right-brained snowflake reaction to the culture war, which has already been lost by the anti-cannabis people. Sorry but its harmless.
Exactly.
So much pearl clutching here.
Note to regulars who posts on here: you guys are a vocal minority and no one cares what you think. Your party is effectively dead in this state, as is your backwards belief system.
Deal with it.
says all the stoners 🙁
Right on👊
and people under 21 never drink? how naive
The fact that people are still considering cannabis a blight on the community boggles my mind.
A well-regulated recreational cannabis industry will do nothing but improve the overall health of America. The responsible use of cannabis by adults is completely safe, especially when compared to other drugs like alcohol and tobacco. The American cigarette industry kills half a million of their own satisfied customers every year, yet we allow smokes to be sold on every block. Same with alcohol, which kills thousands before you even count accidents. Meanwhile, cannabis as a drug has directly killed ZERO and yet a dispensary can barely open a single location in a town.
Permitted cannabis business is probably the most effective way to eliminate the dangers and unattractive aspects of the black market cannabis trade, allowing users to safely, affordably, and reliably access cannabis products that are lab tested for potency and purity.
And finally, recreational cannabis has an extremely high sales tax, which is a huge untapped opportunity for many jurisdictions.
I will concede that the chosen location for this business is downright dumb and I don’t understand why they couldn’t consider other options. Still, not the end of the world.
Please, do not let the propaganda of the past control your views. We know more now than ever. Give recreational cannabis a chance.
I am so amused at the negative reactions. Apparently people are unaware that people have been smoking pot around them for decades. Now it is just completely legal though in many places it was pretty much decriminalized. Alcoholism is a bigger problem but nobody wants to return to the Prohibition days. And I wonder how many people here had grandparents who smoked pot in the 1920s and early 30s before it was stupidly made illegal. 🙂
I don’t care what adults do with their own bodies, as long as I’m not restricted from terminating any employee that tests positive.
Well put Bob. I know we aren’t going to convince most regular commenters on Claycord, nor would I choose to spend my time trying to do so, but it’s nice to have a few people posting something positive for a change and to represent the viewpoint of the silent majority in this area.
Cannabusiness creates quality local jobs that pay living wages. This is something Concord is sorely lacking and we should allow it to thrive. Local jobs will not only benefit us governmentally in tax revenue, but will cut down on commuter traffic, and stimulate the local economy.
Wow, didn’t see that coming ha ha ha. SAD.
Of course it’s crickets from the Council regarding their 2009 railroad horn noise study. Other cities are already taking action with quiet zones ….time to get with the times.
Ricardoh: you hit the nail on the head!
Same would apply if it was our rep Marky!
So much for drug-free school zones, when the shoes on the other foot (it’s all good ).
shhh! it’ll all be OK. After all, San Francisco has had pot dispensaries near schools for years and look at how well that city is functioning. 🙂
Blindly worshipping the dollar by politicians. These people are ready for Sacramento..
George smoked but didn’t inhale? He donated but didn’t bribe?
Can I get a concession to open a fast-food joint (no pun intended) next to the High (no pun intended) School? You’re going to see a lot of “medically-induced” munchies in that student body.
The problem these people just created for themselves is that when the next so so operator wants to open one a dispensery near a School, they just set a precedent that it can be done. Someone should Sue.
The problem these people just created for themselves is that when the next so so operator wants to open near a School, they just set a precedent that it can be done. Someone should Sue.
I’ve already submitted the paperwork to open a So So Shop. I will sell Such & Such.
Funny how no one would bat an eye if there are liquor stores close to a high school yet you say marijuana dispensary and people blow a fuse. Alcohol is far more harmful that weed.
Where’s the closest place to buy alcohol ?? What about a grocery store where under age patrons can walk right up and grab beer, wine, spirits right off the shelf unmonitored. If any of you really want to be informed go out to CO CO Farms in Antioch and check it out for yourself, even if you don’t par take. I feel safer going there than I do at my own bank.
They should sell marijuana at the John Muir historic site gift shop.
I would much rather have my high schooler get marijuana from the dispensary rather than some twack off the street. if they are going to smoke they are going to smoke no matter how close a dispensary is. Did you all know there is a liquor store practically right next door to the school? Alcohol is more dangerous than marijuana, and NO I am not a pot smoker
Safe? 33 known carcinogens in every puff of smoke. People hospitalized every day across the country for vaping THC.
Anyone who claims smoking or vaping Cannabis is safe is delusional.
You Can eat it .Don’t have to Smoke it
None of the people hospitalized for vaping were using contaminated black market cartridges. Exactly the think that buying from the regulated market at a dispensary will avoid.
You can vape whole cannabis flower with no additives to be extra safe. It’s an order of magnitude safer than drinking alcohol – a known liver toxin that kills almost 3 million people a year globally or 1 in every 20 people that die.
Seems school zones are only drug-free until there’s tax dollars involved.
The issue is location. If this wasn’t the Miller family it would not have even been considered. This is Martinez and that is how things work. It is all about who your relatives are. Just look at the county employees, Martinez City employees and school district. The attitude is family first, friends 2nd and then qualified applicants if there are no family or friends to fill the slot. This is what the Millers wanted and the city council did not even think twice. Too bad the Millers didn’t want the sporting good store downtown.
Sooo.. that government preschool on Grant St is now named after an up and coming local drug kingpin with tendrils in many aspects local, state, and national government? Interesting times…
Surprise Surprise
I don’t get what the big deal is. There are grocery stores nearby schools that sell alcohol.
It’s Miller Time!
King George is back. Like a moth to the the eternal flame of government corruption.
Save a child. Shoot a drug dealer. Pot IS A DRUG!!!!
TRUMP 2020!!! Keep making America Greater!!!
George Miller’s family? Who’d have guessed it? Makes perfect sense. Pigs to the trough, one way or another. IIRC, the majority of Martinez residents opposed the first marijuana store, but who cares what they think. Graft overrules votes. Now they want two pot stores because the area needs more unemployed stoners, which gives the globalists more reason to import H-1Bs and take American jobs.
So can I open a gun store next door?
Location? People complaining? There is a liquor store and a Safeway that also sells alcohol, are located even CLOSER to the high school and have been there for years! Be more worried about the substances that actually kill people before clutching your pearls about a dispensary that will have more security than either of those liquor locations.
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