As the city of Woodlake embarks on the long journey into the marijuana business, residents have mixed feelings on the new venture.
Monday was El Charro Cafe’s last day in business. Rumors began circulating around the reason for the closure — the business’s lease wasn’t renewed because the city had approved the location as a dispensary.
However, that’s not the case.
El Charro owner, Leticia Vega, said the reason she and her husband are relocating to Tulare is the Woodlake building is out of compliance with ADA laws.
Vega said she was sad to leave the city and say goodbye to her customers.
“It’s hard,” she said. “We get attached to our customers. We are a family business.”
Vega said she also heard rumors surrounding a dispensary moving into the building located on Valencia Boulevard — the entry to Woodlake from the west.
Our customers are saying it might become a dispensary,” she said.
City Administrator Ramon Lara and Community Services Director Jason Waters said the rumor is unfounded.
To their knowledge, no one has applied for a dispensary license at that location. They also say no one in town has started cultivating marijuana and if they are, “that would be news to us,” Lara said.
If a dispensary were to submit an application for that location, city administrators would review it. However, Lara said because the building is older he is skeptical it would pass inspection.
“If it were zoned appropriately, then yes,” Lara said.
Currently, the city is considering an amendment to Ordinance 612, which would allow dispensaries, testing, cultivation and distribution to operate within the city.
- Cannabis dispensary license
- Cannabis cultivation license
- Cannabis manufacturing license
- Cannabis distribution license
- Cannabis testing license
So far, the city hasn’t received any applications for dispensaries since they opened the process on Oct. 3.
“People wait until the end,” Lara said.  “We’ll see if we receive any applications.”
In July, city council voted to only allow two dispensaries to operate within city limits. Based on the feedback from residents and business owners of a citizens advisory committee, the council voted to amend its city ordinance and allow cultivation and sales of marijuana in addition to the dispensaries.
The process to operate a cannabis business is competitive and those who qualify must go through a three-phase process before they are approved, Lara said.
Applicants need to pass a background check, submit a business plan and sit down with city officials before their license is approved.
And it doesn’t end there for applicants.
After receiving approval, applicants must then apply for a state license.
“It’s a very long process,” Community Services Director Jason Waters said.
Officials predict marijuana businesses won’t be operational until 2018.
On Nov. 7, residents will vote on two tax measures — a citywide sales tax increase and a cannabis tax measure, which could bring in $700,000 a year.
“Part of the taxation measure for cannabis will be used for enforcement,” Waters said. “It makes sure we can follow up with the people who aren’t doing it right.”
Farmersville to vote on cannabis tax measureÂ
In the near future, Farmersville residents will decide whether they will benefit from California’s new marijuana laws.
On Nov. 7, residents will vote on Measure Q — a cannabis sales tax.
If passed, the measure could create a tax of up to $25 per square foot of commercial marijuana production. The money collected through this tax would support police, drug addiction and gang prevention programs and parks and street maintenance, former City Manager John Jansons said over the summer.
credit:visaliatimesdelta.com
