The Economic Development Reform Coalition of Southern California – Redondo Beach (“EDRCSC – Redondo Beach”) submitted over 6,600 signatures by residents of the City of Redondo Beach to the Redondo Beach City Clerk in support of The Redondo Beach Cannabis Regulation & Public Safety Measure (also the “Measure”). The 6,605 signatures submitted is more than 47% of the 14,024 votes cast in Redondo Beach’s March 2021 Municipal Election.
Over five years ago, the residents of Redondo Beach overwhelmingly passed Proposition 64 for the legalization of cannabis for adults over the age of 21 with nearly 65% of the vote. Yet in the past five years as support for legal and regulated cannabis continues to grow, there has been no real progress to provide qualified patients and adults over the age of 21 in Redondo Beach reasonable access to legal, high quality and tested cannabis products. That is until the filing of The Redondo Beach Cannabis Regulation & Public Safety Measure.
The Redondo Beach Cannabis Regulation & Public Safety Measure is a voter ballot measure being proposed by Redondo Beach resident, Samuel Nicosia. Samuel is a consumer of cannabis (in his case medical cannabis) that is tired of only being able to purchase legal, high quality and tested cannabis products in cities like Los Angeles and Long Beach and tired of seeing cannabis-related tax revenue flow out of Redondo Beach. The Measure is being backed by EDRCSC – Redondo Beach with funding from Catalyst Cannabis Co. and Tradecraft Farms, two cannabis companies that are highly successful and highly committed to the local community. Both Catalyst Cannabis Co. and Tradecraft Farms hope to successfully win permits and operate cannabis retailers in Redondo Beach under the Measure. However, the standards set by the Measure will not be easy standards to meet by just any cannabis company. Indeed, The Redondo Beach Cannabis Regulation & Public Safety Measure includes the highest standards for cannabis regulations in California and only the best of the best cannabis businesses can receive permits under the Measure. In other words, the Measure is the gold standard for local cannabis regulations in California, exactly what the citizens of Redondo Beach deserve. To illustrate:
- Under the Measure, the maximum number of cannabis retailers would be limited to three (and may not be increased by City Council); this is based on the ratio of one retailer per 20,000 residents and is designed to provide reasonable access without oversaturation.
- Cannabis cultivation, manufacturing, distribution, and testing would not be permitted unless the City Council, at its discretion, established permit limits, regulations, and zoning rules for those cannabis businesses.
- The Measure would prohibit the establishment of cannabis retailers within 1,000 feet of any school or day care and 600 feet of any youth center (including parks used by children), limit cannabis retailers to non-pedestrian-based commercial zones, and uses a stringent merit-based process to select permit winners that provides extra points for cannabis retailers located over 1,500 feet away from schools and day cares.
- The Measure requires cannabis products to be independently tested to ensure public health and safety.
- Cannabis businesses would have to comply with various safety and security requirements, including but not limited to, alarm systems, 24-hour security, and 24-hour security cameras with live remote access by the Redondo Beach Police Department.
- Fees under the Measure fully cover the costs of administering and enforcing its cannabis regulations, and the Measure’s merit-based process to select permit winners encourages applicants to provide a voluntary contribution of 2% of their revenue to public schools, parks, and public / nonprofit community organizations serving the City.
Despite all these great features, some members of the Redondo Beach City Council appear to be opposed to The Redondo Beach Cannabis Regulation & Public Safety Measure. Notwithstanding some members of the City Council opposing the Measure, EDRCSC – Redondo Beach wants to work with the Redondo Beach City Council on ensuring The Redondo Beach Cannabis Regulation & Public Safety Measure becomes law and provides maximum community benefit to the citizens of Redondo Beach. Accordingly, the Redondo Beach City Council should adopt the Measure or place it on the ballot at the soonest opportunity and not wait until March 2023. EDRCSC – Redondo Beach encourages all residents of Redondo Beach that support The Redondo Beach Cannabis Regulation & Public Safety Measure to reach out to their City Councilmembers and let them know the City Council should also support the Measure and adopt the Measure immediately. Most importantly for the City Council, they can and should develop and place on the ballot an additional tax regime specifically for cannabis businesses. For that task, the City Council has EDRCSC – Redondo Beach’s full support.
Samuel Nicosia, Proponent for The Redondo Beach Cannabis Regulation & Public Safety Measure, states, “I am so proud of this moment. EDRCSC – Redondo Beach has brought the highest-quality regulations to Redondo Beach that could provide reasonable access to legal and tested cannabis. They also proved without a doubt that other residents actually want the same by gathering over 6,600 signatures in less than two months. I encourage my fellow residents to reach out to the City Council and let them know to support The Redondo Beach Cannabis Regulation & Public Safety Measure and adopt it immediately.”
Barry Walker, CEO of Tradecraft Farms, states, “We are excited for the City of Redondo Beach. This is where we work, where we play, and where we live. We have nothing but respect for the City Council and Staff. We look forward to working closely with them and having this well thought out Measure immediately adopted or placed on the ballot. As demonstrated by the over 6,600 signatures that EDRCSC – Redondo Beach just submitted to the City, we believe the people of Redondo Beach will overwhelmingly support it.”
Elliot Lewis, CEO of Catalyst Cannabis Co. states, “We do this for the People. Win or lose we sleep well at night knowing we brought what the majority of Redondo Beach residents want—reasonable access to legal and tested cannabis. When legislators fail to act, Catalyst Cannabis Co. will relentlessly advocate to bring the People cannabis into their City.”
Paid for by The Economic Development Reform Coalition of Southern California – Redondo Beach Committee major funding from:
Dub Brothers Management LLC
South Cord Management LLC and affiliated entities
777 S. Figueroa Street, Ste. 4050, Los Angeles, CA 90017
Phone: 757.652.0460 | Email: damian.martin.esq@gmail.com
Source: PRWeb