Council Unanimously Greenlights STIIIZY Dispensary, Denying Mosque's Appeal

San Pablo's City Council devoted an entire special meeting to a single, emotionally charged question: Should a cannabis dispensary open 50 feet from a mosque? After more than two hours of public testimony and a detailed staff presentation, the answer was a unanimous yes — a 5-0 vote that upholds the city's cannabis siting framework and sends a clear signal that religious institutions will not receive the same buffer protections as schools.

• STIIIZY cannabis dispensary at 13041 San Pablo Avenue approved after council denies appeal from the Islamic Society of West Contra Costa County

• Mosque community rallies with 500+ petition signatures and $4,500 in donations but cannot overcome staff finding that all legal requirements were met

• 18 public speakers pack the hearing — roughly a dozen oppose the dispensary on moral, safety, and youth-exposure grounds while union members defend STIIIZY's labor practices and security record

• Council sets precedent: religious institutions will not be added to cannabis buffer zones, a decision that could shape future dispensary siting citywide

The basics: The Islamic Society of West Contra Costa County appealed the Planning Commission's March 24 approval of a conditional use permit for STIIIZY Inc. to operate a retail cannabis dispensary at 13041 San Pablo Avenue. The mosque sits approximately 50 feet across Ream Avenue from the proposed site. The appeal, filed April 2, triggered a full public hearing before the council.