CUP is next step in process
By Terry Miller
The long and winding road for marijuana permits is apparently no longer a pipe dream for six applicants vying for coveted city permits.
The expensive and extensive process saw 128 applicants. Out of those 128 applications, Pasadena finally completed the review and scoring of those applications received for commercial cannabis retailer permits. The following are the six top-scoring applicants:
| Applicant Name | Points Possible | Points Awarded | Score | |
| 1 | Integral Associates Dena, LLC | 1,575 | 1,492 | 94.73% |
| 2 | Tony Fong | 1,575 | 1,473 | 93.52% |
| 3 | The Atrium Group, LLC | 1,575 | 1,468 | 93.21% |
| 4 | Harvest of Pasadena, LLC | 1,575 | 1,467 | 93.14% |
| 5 | SweetFlower Pasadena, LLC | 1,575 | 1,465 | 93.02% |
| 6 | MME Pasadena Retail, LLC | 1,575 | 1,459 | 92.63% |
“We would like to recognize and congratulate the six top-scoring applicants who completed a very comprehensive process,” stated City Manager Steve Mermell on Wedsneday. Mr. Mermell added that future retail dispensaries will have appropriate design review and conditions to guard against impacts on surrounding uses and added, “I was pleased with the high-level of sophistication, experience and expertise demonstrated by the top-scoring applicants and look forward to a positive relationship between future permitted dispensaries and our community.”
Applications were thoroughly reviewed by Hinderliter, de Llamas and Associates (HdL), an independent municipal consulting group offering cannabis consulting services.
Applications were scored by HdL according to the City of Pasadena Commercial Cannabis Permit Application Review Criteria, which consist of four primary categories with a total of 28 specific sub-criteria. There is a complete list of all retail applicants and their scores, which will be maintained by the city for a period of 12 months and may be used to identify potential future operators.
The adopted marijuana regulations allow up to a maximum of six retail operators. The next steps for the top-scoring retail applicants are to submit a Conditional Use Permit (CUP) application and supplemental commercial cannabis information, including verification of a lease or ownership location that complies with the required distance separation requirements of the city’s commercial cannabis ordinance, a security plan and community benefits plan. The CUP applications will be evaluated and reviewed by the Planning Commission. The city continues to proactively deter unpermitted dispensaries through a multi-departmental enforcement effort comprised of the City Attorney/City Prosecutor Office, the Pasadena Police Department, Code Compliance and the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration. To date, the city has closed over 20 dispensaries, 11 in the last year.
The City of Pasadena anticipates concluding the review, scoring and identification of the top-scoring applicants for the categories of ‘Testing Laboratories’ and ‘Cultivators’ within the next few weeks. The city is actively working on placing all public information-related documents related to each application on the city website within the coming weeks. Additional information on the application selection process and review status can be found at ww5.cityofpasadena.net/planning/marijuana-regulations.
