San Pablo eyes cannabis retail boom amid community support

Alameda County's cannabis market is thriving, with Oakland leading the way as the city boasts the highest number of licensed cannabis businesses at 389. Recent discussions during a government meeting highlighted the saturation of the cannabis industry in Alameda County, which has created a diverse cluster of businesses that foster competition. El Cerrito has recently increased its cannabis operators from one to two, while Richmond has 27 licensed cannabis uses, and unincorporated areas of the county have one.

In contrast, the San Pablo service area, which encompasses a population of approximately 260,000 from Albany to the Alameda County line, currently has only five licensed cannabis retailers. This suggests a potential opportunity for additional cannabis retailers in the Richmond-San Pablo area, despite the dominance of Oakland in the broader market. According to HDL's analysis, the San Pablo area could generate around $22.5 million in gross receipts from cannabis retail, indicating the capacity to support up to 13 additional commercial cannabis retailers.

The meeting also referenced a recent community survey conducted in 2023, which showed significant support among residents and opinion leaders for the sale of commercial cannabis in San Pablo. The survey results, presented to the council on February 5, 2024, indicated that a majority of the community is in favor of allowing cannabis sales, paving the way for potential regulatory changes and the establishment of a business license tax for commercial cannabis retail in the city.