Given the City Council majority has clearly telegraphed they support retail marijuana sales in Manteca the biggest unanswered question is where cannabis storefront operations will be allowed.

And those locations could include the Spreckels Park shopping center, a business park near Crossroads that is one of Manteca’s largest churches, and a parcel on Yosemite Avenue next door to Cabral Motors,

The Manteca Planning Commission meeting Thursday will set the tone for the discussion that could determine if a pot store can go near your home or business and how close it can locate it a church, school, youth center, park, or a daycare facility, and areas in close proximity to where the City Council wants to place a homeless shelter.

The commission when they meet Thursday at 6 p.m. in the council chambers at the Civic Center, 1001 W. Center St. will review three different maps. Each map shows actual parcels where marijuana businesses can go based on what zones they are allowed in coupled with buffer requirements such as how close they can be to a school.

All three maps allow for a 600 foot buffer between schools.

The first map is the most restrictive as it allows pot concerns only in industrial zones within the confines of proposed buffers. Marijuana businesses could not locate within 500 feet of substance abuse rehabilitation centers, emergency shelters, areas for religious assembly use, parks, or libraries. The map also prohibits a marijuana business from opening within 200 feet of a residentially zoned parcel.

That would allow cannabis businesses on a half dozen parcels in the Manteca Industrial Park — including the former Indy Electronics/Alphatec/Turnkey Solutions building that the homeless stripped of $500,000 in copper wire. There also is a parcel southeast of 5.11 Tactical in northwest Manteca near the railroad.

The second map allows for significantly more locations by adding most commercial zones.

The separation for commercial daycare centers, youth centers, substance abuse rehabilitation center, an emergency shelter, areas for religious assembly, parks, libraries or residential zoned parcel is reduced to 200 feet.

That provides for a larger latitude of parcels without conflicts. That in includes:

*almost all of the Manteca Industrial Park where the city is operating an emergency shelter with a temporary use permit and near where they plan to establish a permanent shelter.

*a large swatch of the Manteca Commerce Park near Crossroads Community Church

*a parcel next to Cabral Motors on Yosemite Avenue

*most of the commercial portion of Spreckels Park  

*the north side of Yosemite Avenue from Cottage Avenue to Highway 99

*4 parcels on Yosemite Avenue east of Highway 99

*parcels southwest of Lathrop Road and Main Street

*a former patio furniture store on Moffat Boulevard

*a parcel on the southwest corner of the Main Street/120 Bypass interchange

*a parcel south of DeArcos Storage on North Main Street that was once where the ramp to the Highway 99 northbound flyover was located

*much of the CenterPoint Business Park on Airport Way where Amazon is located

*almost all of the Promenade Shops at Orchard Valley complex

*5 parcels flanking Airport Way on the south side of Daniels Street where Taco Bell, McDonalds and Sizzler’s are located

*a parcel on West Yosemite near the wastewater treatment plant

The third map by adding the commercial mixed use zoning allows all of the previously listed areas and additional parcels including as follows:

*various locations within the Manteca Marketplace anchored by Big Lots as well as along the northern end of Winters Street in the commerce park directly across from La Casuelas Mexican Restaurant.

*areas along North Main Street between Louise Avenue and Northgate Drive

*the southeast corner of the Main Street and 120 Bypass interchange

*the southeast corner of Atherton Drive and Main Street

The initial plan is for the city to issue no more than three permits for storefront marijuana sales.

The draft 44-page ordinance specifically prohibits the commercial cultivation, manufacturer, processing and laboratory testing of cannabis in Manteca.

It spells out the application process plus lists store requirements, applicant and employee background screening, security, the annual renewal process and the auditing procedures.

Based on the ordinance, applicants must propose a community benefit agreement for the city’s consideration that must be followed when a permit is issued.

It includes — but is not limited to — select community events, afterschool programs, schools, youth centers, homeless shelters, school clubs, senior centers, homeless shelters, or parks and recreation programs.

The City Council has made it clear they expect that agreement to include a cut of the marijuana store’s profits for the city to spend as it pleases.

To contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com