12th marijuana business wins permit approval in Costa Mesa

Costa Mesa planning commissioners Monday evening gave their blessing to another local marijuana manufacturing and distribution facility, bringing the total number of approvals to 12.

On a 4-0 vote — with Chairman Stephan Andranian absent — the commission awarded a conditional use permit to Pure Labs Inc., which is looking to open in a 2,025-square-foot space in Unit M-103 at 3505 Cadillac Ave.

The decision is final unless appealed to the City Council within seven days.

Pure Labs would process and refine raw cannabis material to create a variety of products, including oil, wax and vape cartridges, according to planning documents.

Under the voter-approved Measure X, such businesses are allowed in the area north of South Coast Drive, west of Harbor Boulevard, south of MacArthur Boulevard and east of the Santa Ana River, though not in South Coast Collection.

Even with the permit in hand, Pure Labs still needs final city fire prevention, finance and building safety approvals, as well as a local marijuana business permit and business license. State approval also is required.

Hearing on Vanguard University master plan delayed

At the applicant’s request, commissioners delayed consideration of a master plan for Vanguard University until Oct. 8.

The plan is meant to guide development of the private Christian university’s 38-acre campus to accommodate anticipated enrollment growth.

However, some nearby residents have strenuously objected to one of the projects included in the plan — the relocation of Vanguard’s maintenance and operations facility to the southwest corner of the campus at 55 Fair Drive — saying they worry it would bring truck traffic near their homes, create disruptive noise and diminish their overall quality of life.

During their last hearing on the matter in June, commissioners opted to shelve the bulk of the master plan to give the university more time to address the public’s concerns. They did, however, sign off on plans for a new student center that would replace the existing campus cafe and bookstore.

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