Cathedral City is officially out of denial and into the deodorant aisle.
After months of residents gagging on what some politely called “pungent” and others described as “a skunky punch to the face,” city officials are finally admitting that maybe—just maybe—planting cannabis cultivation sites next to homes wasn’t their best idea.
Yes, after enough complaints to fill the city council chambers (and probably clear them out, too), the moment of truth arrived. On April 23, Andrew Fierstein, Cathedral City’s Director of Community and Economic Development, broke the city’s unofficial motto of "Nothing to see — or smell — here." He bravely uttered what neighbors have been screaming into the void: “We made mistakes.”
Mistakes, indeed. In fact, the zoning blunder has left many residents wondering whether the city used a dartboard during its original planning session. Or perhaps officials mistook the word “cultivation” for “culinary delight” and thought residents would enjoy artisanal air.
But while city officials now acknowledge that cannabis and cul-de-sacs may not mix, the path forward remains hazy. Fierstein promised new cannabis businesses won’t be permitted so close to homes in the future. Unfortunately, that’s little comfort to the current residents who already feel like unwilling participants in a 24/7 hotbox.
“We get it,” one neighbor said while waving a towel in front of his face. “You admitted the mistake. Now fix it — or at least hand out free gas masks.”
As Cathedral City tries to clear the air (literally and figuratively), locals remain hopeful that city leaders will move from "Oops!" to action.
In the meantime, the only thing higher than property values might be the noses of residents still waiting for relief. Stay tuned. And maybe hold your breath.
Source: Fred Roggin at The NBC Palm Springs ‘Roggin Report’
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