Ordinance committee backs temporary pilot to extend cannabis retail hours to 2 a.m.; forwards ordinance language to council

The committee considered a solicitor-drafted ordinance amendment to allow a temporary pilot extending retail cannabis hours to between 6 a.m. and 2 a.m. from Oct. 1 through Jan. 31 and to return to prior hours unless further action is taken. Business representatives including Chris Vianalo and Ryan McCollum urged adopting the full 6AM'AM window for the pilot so the trial would test the actual ask rather than starting with a narrower cap.

Councilors acknowledged safety concerns and asked about requiring additional security measures for late hours; the chair and solicitor noted that operations already require a security plan and police sign-off and that the ordinance could be tracked with hour-by-hour sales, incident logs and police calls. After debate about midnight versus 2 a.m., the committee voted to approve the draft language and requested legal form so the ordinance could be placed on the City Council docket for final action.