City Commission Approves Retail Store Permit for Sweet Flower Cannabis

The Planning Commission unanimously approved the Conditional Use Permit (CUP) allowing Culver City-headquartered retailer SweetFlower Pasadena, LLC to sell commercial cannabis products at a 1,414 square foot tenant space beside Subway restaurant, located within a non-historic commercial building at 827 East Colorado Boulevard.

SweetFlower will be the second commercial cannabis retailer permitted in Council District 3. The first was Harvest of Pasadena.

SweetFlower’s location is 471 feet away from another existing cannabis retailer, Essence, which is located at 908 East Colorado Boulevard.

A split City Council voted to amend its cannabis ordinance last year to allow up to three cannabis operators to do business in District 3, despite the protests of Councilman John Kennedy, who represents that district.

SweetFlower Pasadena’s floor plan identifies that the dedicated sales floor area will encompass 359 square feet. The remaining square footage, approximately 1,045 square feet, is dedicated for storage, receiving, offices and employee-only access areas.

The store’s location, on Colorado Blvd. between Hudson and Lake Avenues, would operate from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Monday through Sunday.

The commission’s approval of the CUP during its meeting on Wednesday, January 12, was based on city staff’s findings that the proposed project is consistent with the adopted policies of the General Plan and in conformance with the applicable requirements of the Zoning Code.

The commission also concurred with staff’s findings that the use of the site for a cannabis retail store “would not result in adverse impacts to the surrounding area.”

According to city staff, SweetFlower Pasadena, LLC, was one of six applicants selected by the city via the process outlined in the Pasadena Municipal Code, among a pool of 122 applicants for the retailer category.

SweetFlower currently operates multiple locations throughout Los Angeles, including West Hollywood, Downtown Los Angeles Arts District, Studio City, Culver City and Westwood/UCLA.