On 9/24/ 2018, Atwater City Council discussed the possibility of having more than two cannabis dispensaries in the near future .
Council member Brian Raymond weighed in on the possibilty and said, “We should allow the free market to do its job, and the free market will come in to play with a lack of locations.” He proposed no limit on cannabis dispensaries.
Mayor Jim Price stated, “I’m as much as a free market person as the next guy, I don’t have problem with that, but we’re not talking about a car lot, this is a new industry that has yet to be proven in the City of Atwater. I would like to stick to two cannabis dispensaries, but if those two dispensaries prove that the market is there and its moving and its going to be what everyone predicts then I’ll be for more, but until then I’m sticking to two.”
Council member Cindy Vierra put in her thoughts, “There’s a lot of revenue to be lost just keeping it to two. I haven’t really heard of any horror stories that these dispensaries are causing any kind of havoc. Having more than two would be a financial benefit.”
Council member Paul Creighton said, “I went out and looked at three different dispensaries in the neighboring city’s. I thought I was going to see all these punks smoking pot, causing trouble, but it was nothing, it was just like people going into a Rite Aide doing their thing.”
Mayor Pro Temp James Vineyard said, “As more of the same businesses open up the market shrinks; we need to see what revenues are generated first, before we go into more than two dispensaries.”
Back in May of 2018, the Atwater City council voted on a 3-2 vote on bringing only two cannabis dispensaries to Atwater.
