First in a series

For the next nine months, in honor of the traditional gestation period, Culver City residents have been invited to debate their preferred locations for three recreational cannabis retail stores.

Heading into his final four months on the City Council before being termed out, Jim Clarke is going away with a roar.

Standing stoutly with the safety of residents at his fore, Mr. Clarke is leading what so far is a lonely charge, although colleague Goran Eriksson agrees with him.

He has written amendments to a new ordinance that seeks to place the cannabis stores with a dingy historical background in brightly lighted, upscale surroundings.

The Takers’ line ain’t crowded for a measure that may be on the Council’s next agenda, Jan. 8.

Upscale in Culver City means the Westfield Fox Hills Mall.

Their parent company was sold the other day to French interests, and Westfield’s first response to hosting a cannabis store was “no.”

Mr. Clarke’s twin amendments call for

• Placing the three cannabis stores in “commercial centers where you would find Apple stores and a Nordstrom’s,” and
• Restricting them to mid-block venues at least a half-mile from the nearest cannabis outlet.

“Putting a store in the middle of the block, or at least away from a corner, makes sense to most people,” said Mr. Clarke, “This is because it’s on a residential street corner. People are walking, kids are walking. If the store is on a corner, people will be inclined to go park in a neighborhood. Easier there. They don’t have to put money in a meter.”

Mr. Clarke is spending his pre-Christmas days shopping for community members who agree with his geographical guidelines to speak up at the next Council meeting – whenever the amendments are on the agenda, Jan. 8 or Jan. 22.

(To be continued)