It remains unknown when Grass Valley Provisions LLC, the top ranked applicant for the city’s lone dispensary permit, will open its retail cannabis store.
“It is in the applicant’s court once they get all the city approvals,” said Tom Last, Grass Valley Community Development director. “At this point, they submitted an application for the cannabis dispensary permit only. We have not received any application for the building permits or development review, which are required prior to issuance of the actual cannabis permit license.”
Provisions has cited this summer as a possible opening.
“Grass Valley Provisions is successfully working through the permitting and construction process,” said attorney Cameron Brady, who’s representing the business. “Everything is going well, but it’s too early to determine an exact opening date. I will certainly follow up once we’re close to opening.”
Two other applicants for a retail dispensary decided to appeal the decision by the city’s cannabis selection committee, which chose Provisions for the dispensary permit. They are Max Del Real, president and CEO of NUG Inc.; and Alana Haley, CEO of Sierra Flower Co. They’ve argued the process to choose the lone dispensary operator was unfair.
Once appeals were submitted to City Attorney Michael Colantuono and the fees were paid, the process moved forward when the city filed an electronic compendium of evidence related to the appeals last month. Retired Judge Albert Dover then entered an order setting out the schedule for the appeals, Colantuono said.
Dover will hear the appeals, and make a recommendation to the City Council.
“The city and the appellants are working on agreed documents to use in the appeal,” Colantuono said. “The next step after that is briefing according to the schedule in the ordinance.”
Briefs, or written arguments, must be filed by March 18, and not exceed 10,000 words. Replies to those briefs must be filed by April 1, the city attorney said.
“And the discussions have been cordial and productive to date,” he said, adding moments later, “We have been making good progress, provided relevant documents to the appellants, reached agreement on a briefing schedule and are moving forward relatively quickly as these things go.”
William Roller is a staff writer with The Union. He can be reached at wroller@theunion.com