A conditional use permit for the city’s first cannabis storefront is before the Manteca Planning Commission on Thursday at 6 p.m.
The applicant is Embarc.
The firm is planning to open a dispensary in the northern most 3,000 square feet of the commercial center at 1140 South Main Street.
It is behind the Dairy Queen and next door to an Arco AM/PM convenience store and gas station.
Embarc is one of three cannabis retail permits the City Council awarded in December after vetting proposed security, background of owners, and other concerns.
All three have submitted plans to the city that also must be reviewed and approved by the planning commission for compliance with city and state polices regarding retail marijuana sales and zoning.
Before they can open, they must submit community benefit proposals to the city. If the council accepts them and improvements are made as required, they will be able to begin retail sales in Manteca.
Embarc is expected to employ 29 people at the Manteca location.
They recently opened a store in Tracy in a similar small retail development near the WinCo supermarket.
Embarc has 13 locations in California.
Staff has determined the existing parking and access from South Main Street is adequate for the traffic the dispensary is expected to generate.
The location also meets the threshold of being more than 600 feet, as established by the council, from “sensitive” uses such as daycare centers, schools,. youth centers, and such.
Besides Tracy, Embarc has locations in Alameda, Chico, Fairfield, Fontana, Fresno, Indio, Martinez, Meyers, South Lake Tahoe, Redwood City, Sacramento, and Ventura.
They are also in the process of opening a second location in Fresno as well as a store in Madera.
Embarc accepts cash, debit and all major forms of electronic payment. There are also ATMs located in each of the stores.
California law allows individuals to purchase up to one ounce of non-concentrated cannabis (flower) and eight grams of concentrated cannabis.
The other proposed cannabis retail locations in Manteca are:
*Off the Charts Manteca is at 2325 West Yosemite Avenue in a small business park that has been populated over the years by auto care, construction, window blinds contractor, and other similar businesses. It is occupying space in the front that has storefront characteristics.
It is on the north side of Yosemite Avenue with the municipal wastewater treatment plant is to the southwest and across the street.
*Nectar Market is at 1519 Yosemite Avenue.
It is in the northwestern most corner of a series of business and professional & medical buildings — including Valley Oak Dental and Central Valley Veterinary Hospital — are located on the northwest corner of Trevino and West Yosemite avenues.
To contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com
