Marijuana distribution business gets OK for permit in Costa Mesa after changing planned location

The second time was the charm for a proposed marijuana distribution facility in Costa Mesa as city planning commissioners voted unanimously Monday to grant it a required permit.

With the conditional use permit in hand, Shelf Life Inc. can move forward with its plan to operate in a 1,907-square-foot space in Unit O-107 in an existing industrial building at 3505 Cadillac Ave.

The business would “distribute pre-packaged cannabis products and source material produced by licensed cannabis manufacturers and cultivators, including flower, oils, waxes, beverages and similar products,” according to a city staff report.

The commission’s decision — which is final unless appealed to the City Council within seven days — is a turnaround for Shelf Life after it hit a roadblock during its first permitting go-round in November.

At the time, the company was seeking approval to open in a suite at 3525 Hyland Ave. Though that space is in the city’s Measure X zone — a voter-approved area north of South Coast Drive and west of Harbor Boulevard where firms that research, test, process and manufacture some marijuana products are allowed to open — some commissioners felt the location wasn’t compatible with the envisioned use because it could create issues for other tenants.

There were no such issues this time. The commission has already awarded permits for two other cannabis businesses — Yummi Karma and AuBio Labs — in the same building on Cadillac.

Commissioner Carla Navarro Woods commended the Shelf Life team, saying, “I’m just glad you guys were able to find an alternative location.”

It took about 20 minutes for the commission to decide the application’s fate.

Shelf Life is the 23rd marijuana business to win approval of a conditional use permit in Costa Mesa. It still needs to obtain city finance, fire prevention and building safety approvals to finalize its marijuana business permit and get a Costa Mesa business license. State approval also is required.