July 11, 2025 Breaking News, Latest News, and Videos

Santa Monica Issues Permit for Second Medical Marijuana Dispensary

Dispensary would be located at 1416 Wilshire Boulevard

By Dolores Quintana

The medical marijuana dispensary Harvest of Santa Monica has been issued the conditional use permits needed to operate in the City of Santa Monica by the Planning Commission. 

Along with CPC Compassion, Harvest would be the second and final dispensary legally allowed to operate in the city. In the City of Santa Monica, recreational cannabis retailers are not allowed to operate brick and mortar stores. 

Harvest still has a number of permits and licenses to acquire from local and state authorities, like the Medicinal Cannabis Retailer permit, but they have successfully gotten the okay from the first step in the process to open their facility at 1416 Wilshire. 

Elisa Paster, Chair of the Santa Monica Planning Commission disclosed that her law firm, Glazer Weil, is involved in a cannabis industry lawsuit in which Harvest is one of the litigants, but she did not recuse herself because she is not involved or “has very little involvement in the lawsuit itself.”

The staff report presented by Tony Kim, Santa Monica Principal Planner, recommended approval of the Conditional Use Permit and the adoption of the statement of official action with fourteen conditions including the condition that if Harvest vacates the premises in the future, any other medical marijuana dispensary that wanted to take over the space would be required to re-apply for a new Conditional Use Permit. 

The biggest objection came from Commissioner Shawn Landres who asked, “Was any consideration given to the geographical distribution of across the city of prospective license holders? Can the Commission take that into account in its considerations? The proximity of the second license holder to the first under consideration? What would be the appropriate way, should the Commission choose to, to seek to insure that the permits are equitably distributed throughout the city’s geography?”

Principal Planner Tony Kim responded to Commissioner Landres and said, “In terms of the evaluation process, I don’t believe that location was factored in given that our ordinance already specifically defined where these dispensaries could be located…Given the 600 foot radius from minimum buffer from sensitive use locations, taking that in conjunction with the two stretches of Wilshire and Santa Monica where they could be located, those two limitations really limit the number of potential places that these two dispensaries could be located. In terms of the Commission’s review, do they meet the 600 foot buffer?”

Commissioner Landres also brought up the fact that if the Commission granted the CUP to Harvest that it is one of two permits and once it was awarded that no others could be granted to any other companies. 

Heidi Von Tongeln, Deputy City Attorney explained that the only question in the Commission’s purview is the Conditional Use Permit itself. 

Chair Elise Paster brought up that the Commission received “a lot” of  letters objecting to the dispensary and its locational proximity to Lincoln Middle School and asked Planner Kim how far the potential dispensary was from the school and if there were “safe routes” to the school for children. Planner Kim noted that the dispensary was 800 feet from Lincoln Middle School but that he would have to check on the “safe routes”.

Harvest Representative Ben Kimbro then unveiled the company’s presentation to the commission stating the company’s dedication to safety and security and record of zero sales to underage youth. He also stated that the company intended to hire from within the Santa Monica community and noted their high standards of employment pay, benefits and training. He also mentioned that the company was also committed to continuing education for their employees. 

Commissioner Laurie Lambert stated that she was very comfortable with Harvest’s level of security, which she called “extraordinary”, and the location because of its proximity to the many medical offices in the area. She suggested that Harvest should reach out to Lincoln Middle School and work with the school to calm some of the fears of the parents whose children attend Lincoln.

Commissioner Nina Fresco agreed with Commissioner Lambert and further said, “If I personally ever needed some medicinal cannabis, I might want to check out both places and compare and see what they have and what I liked and I wouldn’t want to have to drive all over town so I could do that.” She also mentioned that there have been a number of studies about medicinal cannabis locations in areas with similar ordinances as Santa Monica and that the studies have concluded that dispensaries have absolutely no impact on middle and senior high schools and their students.

Commissioner Lambert then moved on a vote on the Conditional Use Permit for Harvest of Santa Monica with the conditions that the company reach out to the parents of children at Lincoln Middle School who have issues with the dispensary and Commissioner Fresco added a condition that the plate glass window has to be transparent in the waiting room. Commissioner Jim Reis asked that a condition be added to make the hours of operation consistent with the other dispensary. 

However, Commissioner Landres stated that he would be voting against the motion because of his stated concern regarding the overall and close proximity of the two dispensaries to each other. Commissioner Mario Fonda-Bonardi responded to Landres and said, “It’s that we didn’t tell them that they needed to be far apart or we didn’t say that they needed to be evenly distributed. In some ways it’s like an ambush. It’s like they almost get to the finish line and then we say ‘The goalposts are over here.’ I think it has good intentions but if we went down that road, we’re too late.”

Commissioner Landres took Commissioner Fonda-Bondardi’s point to heart and chose to abstain rather than vote against the CUP and the measure passed. 

The Commission then voted on the specific conditions. These include making the operating hours standard for both dispensaries, and the glazing of the waiting room window to be as transparent as the law allows. Commissioner Landres asked for the third condition to be amended to require that Harvest would have to reach out to the parents and officials at Lincoln Middle School to allay fears about the dispensary’s effect on the middle school students. The motion passed.

in News
<>Related Posts

Father-Daughter Authors to Host Book Signing to Aid Fire-Affected Women

July 10, 2025

July 10, 2025

Ten percent of proceeds from book and art sales will benefit the Pacific Palisades Rebuilding Fund, a nonprofit initiative created...

Metro Reports Crime Drop, Higher Rider Satisfaction, and Progress on Major Projects

July 9, 2025

July 9, 2025

The Authority said the drop in violent incidents—down to the lowest level since May 2019—coincided with more uniformed personnel and...

Santa Monica Joins Regional Lawsuit to Halt Unconstitutional ICE Raids

July 9, 2025

July 9, 2025

The motion to intervene seeks to ensure that Santa Monica and other plaintiff-intervenors can advocate for their residents’ rights in...

Promenade Restaurant Introduces Lunch Menu Set at $18 Per Person

July 9, 2025

July 9, 2025

The fixed $18 price point targets commuters and those seeking a power lunch or a change of scenery The restaurant...

Santa Monica Council Votes in Support of Park-Centric Future at Airport Site

July 9, 2025

July 9, 2025

The decision followed a contentious meeting with over 140 public speakers and more than 1,000 emails received by the council...

Housing for Health Chief Appointed to Lead Unified Homeless Services Department

July 9, 2025

July 9, 2025

Veteran Housing Advocate to Oversee Streamlined LA County Services The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday confirmed the...

‘Adoptapalooza’ Pet Adoption Festival Returns to Main Street This Weekend

July 9, 2025

July 9, 2025

The free, family-friendly event aims to connect adoptable animals with new owners Green Dog Dental & Veterinary Center will host...

Virtual Town Hall to Discuss Proposed Resilient Rebuilding Authority

July 9, 2025

July 9, 2025

The agency, to be run by political appointees, would manage permitting, development, zoning, and funding, modeled after post-disaster recoveries Los...

New Agenda Coaching: Changing Lives in LA

July 8, 2025

July 8, 2025

Students Work Toward Applied Success with Executive Function Coaching Services The demands of daily routines and studies sometimes bear weight...

Saint Monica Prep Students Win Award for Anti-Street Racing PSA Video

July 8, 2025

July 8, 2025

The winning public service announcement, titled “Not Worth It,” was highlighted in a post on X by @LADOTofficial  Students from...

Anti-Drunk Driving Resolution Introduced as City Council Honors Late Palisades Teen Killed in Crash

July 8, 2025

July 8, 2025

Levi, who was set to attend the University of Virginia this fall, was killed by a drunk driver on May...

Free and Reduced Price School Meals Available for Eligible Families in Santa Monica-Malibu District

July 8, 2025

July 8, 2025

Parents in Need Encouraged to Apply, SMMUSD Commits to Nutritious, Accessible Meals By Brandyi Phillips, SMMUSD Chief Communications Officer Santa...

Big Blue Bus to Raise Fares for First Time in Nearly a Decade

July 8, 2025

July 8, 2025

The fare increase aims to offset rising costs for fuel, utilities, and supplies, according to the agency. The Santa Monica...

Shore Hotel: A Local Destination for Summer Fun

July 8, 2025

July 8, 2025

Bring on all things summer. Walking or biking along Santa Monica Pier, you might find yourself taking a pause at...

Santa Monica’s 150th Anniversary to be Celebrated with Vibrant State of the City Event

July 7, 2025

July 7, 2025

Attendees are encouraged to bring blankets, beach chairs, and picnics to enjoy during the performances Santa Monica will mark its...