May 31, 2026
Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
City of San Pablo
1000 Gateway Avenue
San Pablo, CA 94806
RE: Appeal of Planning Commission Approval PC26-05 – STIIIZY San Pablo 13041 San Pablo Avenue, San Pablo, CA 94805
Dear Mayor and Councilmembers,
On behalf of STIIIZY San Pablo, we respectfully request that the City Council uphold the Planning Commission’s approval of our project and deny the pending appeal.
Over the course of this process, City staff, the Planning Commission, and the public thoroughly evaluated this project and the associated operational, land use, and neighborhood compatibility considerations. After a full public hearing and review of the record, the Planning Commission approved the project by a 3–1 vote and adopted findings confirming the project complies with the City’s zoning and operational requirements.
The record demonstrates that this project:
• Is located within the City’s Commercial Mixed Use (SP-2) District; • Meets all adopted cannabis buffer and location requirements; • Reuses an existing vacant commercial property;
• Includes robust security and operational controls;
• Provides dedicated on-site parking and controlled customer access; and • Advances the City’s adopted corridor revitalization goals along San Pablo Avenue.
Importantly, the appeal does not present new land use evidence, traffic analysis, expert testimony, or factual information demonstrating that the Planning Commission’s findings were incorrect. While we understand and respect that some community members oppose cannabis businesses generally, we respectfully believe this decision should remain grounded in the City’s adopted ordinances, objective standards, and the substantial evidence contained in the record.
We also want to directly acknowledge the concerns raised by the Islamic Society of West Contra Costa County. We recognize and respect the important role the mosque plays within the community, and we sincerely appreciate their participation in this process. Our intention has never been to create conflict, but rather to operate responsibly and become a positive long-term neighbor within the City.
In fact, STIIIZY currently operates another licensed retail location in Alameda adjacent to a mosque, where we have maintained a respectful and positive relationship with the surrounding community without incident. Across our 62 operational retail locations throughout California, our company has developed extensive experience operating compliant, secure, and community-oriented businesses.
We remain committed to:
• Maintaining proactive communication with neighboring stakeholders; • Operating with strict security and compliance standards; • Supporting public safety and neighborhood accountability; and • Being a responsible and respectful member of the San Pablo community.
For these reasons, we respectfully ask the City Council to uphold the Planning Commission’s approval and adopt the findings contained within the record.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Respectfully,
Tak Sato
STIIIZY San Pablo