The legalization of storefront marijuana sales in Manteca and possibly other cannabis related businesses could be just four meetings away.

As such they represent what could be the public’s last opportunity to weigh in on the issue and/or have input on what restrictions they’d like to see put in place.

The Manteca Planning Commission is conducting a workshop on the proposed cannabis ordinance during the Thursday, Nov. 4, meeting at 6 p.m. at the Civic Center council chambers, 1001 W. Center St.

The meeting also will be livestreamed via the city’s website.

The Planning Commission on Nov. 18 is scheduled to take a formal vote on the ordinance before it goes to the City Council for a decision on Dec. 7. If the council approves it, the ordinance must pass a second vote on Dec. 21. If it does, the ordinance would go into effect in late January 2022.

The potential zones that marijuana dispensaries will be allowed is among the rules and regulations that are being hammered down.

The council last week indicated they were open to a suggestion that dispensaries be allowed in commercial mixed use zones that allow apartments and similar residences after it was pointed out the designation covered most of the Yosemite Avenue and Main Street corridors. As such, by not allowing them in the CMU zone it would exclude almost all likely locations for dispensaries to open in existing buildings in Manteca.

The city could allow such use in a CMU zone but require a conditional use permit. That would allow the city to judge an application and location on a case-by-case basis.

The council also expressed interest in making sure the ordinance had distance requirements of at least 600 feet not just from schools and children day care centers as well as youth facilities such as the Boys & Girls Club as the state requires as a default to local agencies that don’t set their own rules but also from parks and religious facilities.

To contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com