In a preview of the likely fight to come over marijuana sales in Chicago, a medical cannabis operator’s proposal to move into a storefront just south of Wrigley Field narrowly advanced Tuesday over the complaints of aldermen who said there isn’t enough minority participation in the business.
MedMar Lakeview got the OK from the city’s zoning committee to move to 3524 N. Clark St. Under state rules, the company will not be allowed to switch to more lucrative recreational marijuana sales on Jan. 1 because of the address change, though owners of the operation have said they would like to do so.
The zoning change to allow MedMar to sell marijuana at the property passed 7 to 5, with three African American aldermen and two Hispanic aldermen voting against it.
On Tuesday, council members continued to voice their frustration at the lack of minority representation in the industry, especially in light of the fact black and Latino Chicagoans have been disproportionately hurt by the war on drugs.
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Ald. Pat Dowell, 3rd, pressed MedMar officials on the racial makeup of their workforce, saying she wanted to “get a sense of your commitment to social equity and diversity across your company, and if you’re seeking to work with minority companies, African American companies.”
MedMar officials said they are committed to hiring people from “impacted communities,” and to helping minority-run startups get into the business.
But Ald. Anthony Beale, 9th, said the marijuana sales rules are too familiar to black Chicagoans who have repeatedly gotten left out when popular new businesses kick off in Chicago. And he pointed to the “social equity” rules meant to boost minority participation as being reminiscent of inadequate standards to ensure women- and minority-owned companies get a piece of city contracts.
“We in the African American community have seen this movie over and over and over again,” he said. “Social equity is nothing but the (minority- and women-owned) program here in the city of Chicago, where we set a bar and yet minority participation is very low in the city of Chicago.”
The MedMar zoning change will head to the full City Council next week.
Twitter @_johnbyrne
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