The cannabis industry in Red Bluff is slowly making strides towards its expected potential. Currently, there are four businesses in the application process and one, Smooth Delivery is the first cannabis delivery business to open. At the last council meeting, Northern American Naturals, a microbusiness, received a development agreement approval, despite a recommendation against it from the planning commission.

According to Finance Director Paul Young, Sundial Collective is the first cannabis storefront in Red Bluff to be fully operational, making a projected revenue increase of $140,000. There are still many unknowns and Young adds that “it is still a long road to find out exactly how much money they’re gonna make until they are all fully operational.”

City Council Meeting

During the recent city council meeting, microbusinesses related to cannabis were discussed. The council approved restricting cannabis-related microbusinesses in commercial zoning classifications. They voted to change some of the language and the microbusiness under chapter 25 of the zoning codes, providing guidance for cannabis-related businesses and their locations within the city. The council adopted these chapter amendments in February 2022.

Councilman Cody Strock was the only dissenting vote. Some of his concerns were that the proposed ordinance would not provide economic or public safety benefits, and it was an overreaction to North American Naturals. Councilman J.R. Gonzales was absent from the meeting. The city’s staff asked the council to waive the second reading and approval of the ordinance changes to proceed with this ordinance, which ultimately passed 4-1.

Conclusion

The Red Bluff cannabis industry is expected to continue growing with more openings predicted in the future. It is important to note that although the industry is opening up, there are still regulations and restrictions to consider.