A recent survey found a majority of polled Benicia citizens supported commercial cannibals dispensaries operating within the city. The City Council will discuss the findings of the survey and propose relegations and timelines for cannabis at tonight’s meeting.
The discussion of cannabis in Benicia began when the city debuted its online town hall and created the survey in July. More than 2,000 people visited the town hall, and 1,410 participated in the survey.
The survey found 55 percent of participants did not support dispensaries operating in the downtown area. People were split on dispensaries in the shopping center, but a majority of 69 percent supported dispensaries operating in the Industrial Park.
However, one document in the council agenda packet demonstrated that there was still dissent on that issue.
“As I’m sure you are aware, BIPA feels strongly that cannabis dispensaries should not be allowed in the Industrial Park (Industrially zoned properties),” Rod Sherry, Benicia Industrial park Association president, wrote in an email to City Attorney Heather McLaughlin. “Allowing (or forcing) this retail use into the BIP, would be detrimental to the Industrial Park as well as the dispensary business. If Benicia wants to do this right, I believe the business should be located in a retail/commercial area”
Others advised caution with selling cannabis with the community.
“It is no coincidence that the two addictive substances that cause the most number of deaths in the U.S. are the two which are legal — alcohol and tobacco,” Serena Chen, a spokesperson with the American Lung Association in California, wrote. “According to the CDC, tobacco use is responsible for 480,000 premature deaths annually in the U.S., including 41,000 from secondhand smoke, and alcohol deaths have been cited as 88,000 per year — this includes the direct health consequences and motor vehicle deaths precipitated by alcohol use. It is important that we apply what we have learned about controlling tobacco and alcohol use to the brave new world that the legalization of cannabis brings.”
The City Council has been recommended to review the workshop and survey results, provide direction to staff on drafting the ordinance and potential ballot measure for a tax for cannabis uses and review the proposed timeline for the ordinance.
Also on tonight’s agenda, the council will discuss an ordinance amending the animal control title of the Benicia Municipal Code of dangerous or potentially dangerous animals. This ordinance came about due to the recent events involving dogs attacking people and other dogs killing household animals. Parties interested in the ordinance met with council staff and helped draft the ordinance. Changes to the animal control codes for dangerous or potentially dangerous animals would include; improving the hearing procedures to determine if an animal is potentially dangerous or dangerous, improving the conditions required to keep a potentially dangerous or dangerous animal, improving the procedures for impounding animals, requiring training classes for cases where a dog chases or attacks, and setting time standards for abating animal nuisance.
The council will also be voting to adopt a resolution establishing a new Master Fee Schedule, utilizing updates from the Citywide User Fee Study. If approved, the resolution would be effective Oct. 16.
The council will meet at 6:30 p.m. tonight in a closed session to discuss legal matters. The regular meeting will start at 7 in the Council Chamber of City Hall, 250 East L St.

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