Mothers and grandmas protest against a cannabis store opening on Taraval in Inner Sunset, all 7 Planning Commissioners approve its application

(SAN FRANCISCO) Seven members of the San Francisco Planning Commission voted unanimously to approve the Gold Mirror (Green Mirror) cannabis dispensary permit application in the Inner Sunset neighborhood. A long list of residents and business owners with the majority of Asians spoke in the public hearing to oppose the opening of the establishment.

Rachael Tanner, President of the City's Planning Commission, made public comment in the hearing that the opposition on the cannabis store permit application was related to racial equity and used to target African- and Mexican-Americans.

"There is misinformation on cannabis and used to target certain communities," Tanner commented in the Planning Commission hearing and also mentioned that the war on drugs in the country targeted "Black and Mexican-Americans".

The neighbors and merchants who spoke against the cannabis permit application demanded an apology from Tanner to the Asian community for her comment. Dr. Dorothy Pang, a pediatric dentist whose dental office is across the street from the proposed Gold Mirror cannabis store, was one of them to demand the apology.

"Ms. Rachel Tanner labeled Asians who oppose cannabis as racists. We should at least demand an apology," said Pang.

Wind Newspaper has sent an inquiry to Tanner. She has not responded by press time.

The controversial Gold Mirror cannabis store is located at 800 Taraval Street, one block from the busy 19th Avenue. It is also a commercial corridor in the Inner Taraval neighborhood, where Safeway Supermarket, Happy Day Preschool, a kung fu academy and two pediatric dental offices are surrounding the cannabis establishment within one block.

According to the documents filed with the Planning Commission, the establishment is operated in partnership between the property owner, Giuseppe & Giuseppe Di Grande Trust, and Angel Davis. Gold Mirror cannabis store is at the mezzanine level of the Gold Mirror Italian Restaurant, which has been owned by the Di Grande family since 1969, at 800 Taraval Street.

Three partners of the ownership attended the Planning Commission hearing held on February 2. They said the restaurant lost some revenues since the pandemic. The proposed cannabis business would bring in economic recovery to the restaurant and nearby businesses.

Mindy Louie, owner of the Happy Day Preschool which is located across the street from the proposed cannabis store, did not agree. "No parent would like to send their young children to a preschool center which is close to a cannabis dispensary. I will lose more students and the property value will be down," said Louie.

"Most importantly, the establishment would impact our next generation deeply. That's why I am against the cannabis store to be opened in this neighborhood," said Louie.

In the existing law regulating the cannabis businesses, any schools are prohibited within the 600-feet boundary of any cannabis dispensaries. Preschools, day care centers and after school learning centers are not on the list. Louie hoped that the law would be amended to include her preschool and all the daily operated educational facilities.

On February 1, one day before the Planning Commission hearing, a group of mostly mothers and grandmas holding signs protested in front of the dispensary for almost two hours. They wanted to raise the awareness of the situation in this neighborhood.

Dr. Pang and her husband, Dr. Peter Lee who is also a dentist, both spoke at the Planning Commission hearing to oppose the permit application. They said they were against the dispensary as healthcare professionals and business owners. Both quoted medical studies that using marijuana might negatively affect young children and teenagers on their learning ability and addiction profoundly.

Although more speakers had their position against the dispensary, seven members of the Planning Commission unanimously voted for the business license for the Gold Mirror cannabis owners.

Pang and other activists of the Stop Gold Mirror Cannabis Dispensary campaign were disappointed at the outcome. "The reasons behind the Planning Commission's decision were not founded on public comments," said Pang.

Pang and other members of the campaign were also critical of D7 Supervisor Myrna Melgar, who represents the Inner Taraval neighborhood, for refusing to meet with them on the matter.

In 2021, Melgar was one the 10 Supervisors voted to overturn the City's decision which denied the license application by a cannabis dispensary located at 5 Leland Avenue in the business Corridor of Visitacion Valley neighborhood. The Chinese community was strongly against cannabis. 10 Supervisors including Melgar voted to let the cannabis open except former D4 Supervisor Gordon Mar. Mar was the lone supervisor to vote no on the appeal.

"I have been following this proposal closely. As you may appreciate, I cannot take a position on it because it may come to the Board of Supervisors on appeal, and if I take a position before that the sponsor or the appellant would be entitled to ask that I be recused from that vote. Since it is my district, I am being careful," Melgar responded to Wind Newspaper’s request for comment.

"My staff have had many, many meetings with the appellants, so it is not accurate that they have not received a response. My staff have also had conversations with the project sponsor, as is our duty as the District 7 representative," Melgar added.