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Type-10 (Retail) Cannabis License Application / Letter of Support / Community Input

Council File 26-0124

Under review — the City Attorney is drafting an ordinance that would require cannabis retailers to get support letters from neighborhood councils, local police, and community groups before getting licensed. It's currently waiting in two committees with no hearing scheduled yet.

Introduced
2026-01-27
Last changed
2026-08-28
Status
open
Expires
2028-08-18
Committee
Budget and Finance Committee
Mover
IMELDA PADILLA
Second
HEATHER HUTT

Brief

Councilmember Imelda Padilla introduced a motion on January 27, 2026, to support a Type-10 (Retail) Cannabis License Application. The file has drawn community impact statements from four neighborhood councils since March 2026, with views ranging across the Southeast, Central, and Harbor Gateway areas, as well as North Westwood. The matter is currently pending in Budget and Finance Committee and Public Works Committee after being rereferred in late August 2026.

Full summary

Councilmember Imelda Padilla, with a second from Councilmember Heather Hutt, introduced this motion on January 27, 2026, asking the City Attorney to draft an ordinance that would add new community-support requirements to the Type-10 (retail) cannabis license application process. Specifically, the proposed ordinance would require applicants to submit letters of support from four sources before a license can be approved: the neighborhood council corresponding to the business location, the relevant Council Office, LAPD, and a community-based organization serving the area where the cannabis business intends to operate. The motion argues that cannabis businesses have a significant impact on the communities where they locate, and that the current licensing process does not adequately capture the voices of residents, local organizations, and relevant City departments. Padilla contends that requiring documented community support would ensure new and expanding retail cannabis businesses are well-integrated into their neighborhoods and contribute positively to the social and economic fabric of those areas, rather than simply meeting baseline regulatory requirements. Four neighborhood councils have weighed in by submitting Community Impact Statements: the Empowerment Congress Central Area Neighborhood Council in March 2026, followed by Harbor Gateway North Neighborhood Council and North Westwood Neighborhood Council in May 2026, and the Empowerment Congress Southeast Area Neighborhood Council in June 2026. The geographic spread of these statements suggests broad interest in the policy change across multiple parts of the city. The motion was initially referred to the Government Operations Committee in January 2026. After the committee scheduled and then continued the item in August 2026, the Council President corrected the referral to add Budget and Finance Committee. On August 28, 2026, Government Operations rereferred the item to Public Works Committee pursuant to Council File No. 26-2000, indicating coordination with a broader citywide policy framework. The file now sits pending in both Budget and Finance Committee and Public Works Committee, with no scheduled hearing date, and expires in August 2028.

Activity (9)

  • 2026-08-28 Government Operations Committee rereferred item to Public Works Committee, pursuant to Council File No. 26-2000.
  • 2026-08-18 Government Operations Committee continued item to a date to be determined.
  • 2026-08-18 Corrected Referral per Council President to include Budget and Finance Committee.
  • 2026-08-13 Government Operations Committee scheduled item for committee meeting on August 18, 2026.
  • 2026-06-04 Community Impact Statement submitted by Empowerment Congress Southeast Area Neighborhood Council.
  • 2026-05-12 Community Impact Statement submitted by North Westwood Neighborhood Council.
  • 2026-05-01 Community Impact Statement submitted by Harbor Gateway North Neighborhood Council.
  • 2026-03-23 Community Impact Statement submitted by Empowerment Congress Central Area Neighborhood Council.
  • 2026-01-27 Motion referred to Government Operations Committee.

Documents (8)

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