El Cerrito may permit new cannabis dispensary downtown
In major budget crisis, city will consider L.A.-based Shryne Group’s application at Tuesday’s meeting
EL CERRITO >> City officials are considering issuing a permit for a cannabis dispensary near the center of town and will have a public meeting Tuesday to hear comments from the community. A decision on the application by the city manager could come as soon as the following Monday. The application, coming as the city deals with a major budget crisis and seeks new income sources, already has some support.
“I look forward to public comment because I support this new business opening in El Cerrito and welcome the tax revenue it will generate for our city coffers,” Mayor Paul Fadelli said.
The application of the Los Angeles-based Shryne Group for a former savings and loan building at 10764-10770 San Pablo Ave. on the corner of Schmidt Lane was selected from three proposals submitted by the Sept. 3 deadline that the city set last year. The building, which has a San Pablo Avenue frontage at the northwest corner of the El Cerrito Place center, now houses branches of national chains Batteries
Plus Bulbs, a retail store, and Quest Diagnostics, a clinical lab. Storefronts at the east side of the center include Marshalls, Tap Plastics, Mountain Mike’s Pizza, Donut Time, Wonderful Spa and Tala Coffee and Tea.
The applicants were evaluated on information submitted along with their knowledge and expertise in the cannabis field and practical factors such as location and site plan, then interviewed by a review team of representatives from the police and community development departments and the city manager’s and City Attorney’s Office.
The Shryne Group’s application for the business, to be called Authentic El Cerrito, “was superior in terms of clarity; specificity; site selection, design and layout; and a comprehensive set of community benefits,” according to the city’s website. Shryne describes itself as a minorityowned business founded in 2019 by partners James Kim and Brian Mitchell. It operates retail stores in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Davis, Palm Desert, Modesto and Alameda, according to its application.
“As one of California’s only truly vertically integrated cannabis companies, Shryne Group’s mission is to cultivate, produce and sell the safest cannabis products to our customers and other cannabis firms, while embracing an inclusive and diverse culture at the corporate and operational levels,” the organization’s application said.
“The store name Authentic El Cerrito reflects our belief that a business should instill the values of the community in which it operates and should contribute towards the benefit of the entire neighborhood.”
Under the permit agreement, the owner would pay the city an Operator’s Community Benefit fee based on the gross receipts of the approved business in lieu of a cannabis business tax. If approved, the Authentic El Cerrito permit would be the second issued by the city. An application by John Oram and ECWC Partners Inc. for a 4,125-square-foot retail cannabis business at the former Bishop Center at 11886, 11888 and 11896 San Pablo Ave. was approved in September 2018. That location could open later this year.
The public meeting on the Authentic El Cerrito permit will occur at 5 p.m. Tuesday via teleconference at bayareane. ws/3r9L57W. The event ID is 187 888 8331 (event password: g3DEAQ2GMX2). Those interested also can join by phone at 408-4189388 (access code: 187 888 8331). Public comments on the application will be accepted until March 15.