The San Francisco Planning Commission on Oct. 2 recommended approval of a narrowly targeted planning-code amendment to allow a single longstanding medical cannabis dispensary to complete its conversion to a regulated cannabis retailer.

Planning Department staff said the item implements a limited reinstatement of Planning Code section 190 to address an isolated permitting problem affecting one operator that had been unable to finalize building-permit approval before the section’s expiration on Dec. 31 of the prior year. Veronica Flores of the Planning Department told commissioners the proposal “is not to reopen section 190 broadly, but really to provide…narrow relief for one specific applicant.”

The ordinance would allow eligibility only for businesses that: (1) hold an Office of Cannabis permit to operate as a storefront cannabis retailer issued on or before Jan. 1 of the effective year, and (2) submitted a complete conversion application to the applying department on or before Dec. 31. Staff recommended approval as a narrowly tailored fix to prevent an otherwise-compliant business from being forced to close.

A representative of the affected business, Dustin Go of Stizzy (33 26 Mission Street), told the commission the store has operated in compliance since 2019 and urged approval to preserve local jobs and community participation. After brief questions, the commission voted 7–0 to adopt a recommendation for approval and forward the legislation to the Board of Supervisors.

Votes at a glance
- Motion to adopt recommendation for approval of the targeted reinstatement of Planning Code section 190 for a single MCD-to-retailer conversion (Item 11): passed unanimously, 7–0.

Why it matters
Staff and the applicant said the bill would preserve an established, compliant business that attempted to meet the conversion deadline but whose building permit was not finally issued in time. The ordinance would not reopen section 190 generally and would require specific eligibility criteria to be met.