HAYWARD — A cannabis dispensary looking to open up in Hayward has met resistance from the city’s planning commission and some residents who were not convicted the business is a good fit for a commercial area that already has a marijuana shop.
Dozens of residents spoke before the commission at the Sept. 25 meeting, with the majority rallying against the dispensary and claiming the shop would also impact children attending a nearby martial arts academy, Ta Danado Jiu Jitsu. In the end, the planning commission voted against recommending that the Hayward City Council approve a conditional use permit for Phenos, which is seeking to open up a 15,000-square-foot shop at 21463 Foothill Blvd.
Ron Roberts, a spokesman for Modesto-based Phenos, acknowledged residents’ concerns about another pot shop coming to the city, but argued that increased security and an influx of consumers could help revitalize the space previously occupied by a Walgreens. The dispensary would have two security guards, 24/7 camera surveillance and a parking lot that already exists onsite for other tenants of the shopping center, he said…