The San Pablo City Council is scheduled to meet April 6 to decide if a new cannabis shop can open at 14501 San Pablo Ave. (at Broadway Avenue).
The hearing comes after the Planning Commission rejected the project in February. The applicant, Embarc, is appealing that rejection.
The proposed shop would move into a vacant suite in Mission Plaza that used to be a 7-Eleven. The building also houses a karate studio and a nail salon. Embarc hopes to remodel the interior to include a secure lobby where staff check IDs before customers enter the sales floor. The plan also includes a private storage room and a secure vault for products.
The project was rejected by the Planning Commission after neighbors and local church leaders opposed the project.
The city began allowing cannabis businesses to help increase local tax revenue after voters passed Measure M in 2024. Embarc was one of three companies (including STIIIZY and Off the Charts) chosen by the city to apply for these permits. Last month, the Planning Commission approved STIIIZY’s plan to operate at 13041 San Pablo Ave., at the corner of Rheem Avenue. The approval came despite the project facing opposition by members of the nearby Islamic Society of West Contra Costa County.
Off the Charts was the first to get approval and is currently open for business at 3550 San Pablo Dam Road (Plaza Sobrante).