I am writing to respectfully request your thoughtful consideration in allowing the creation of a serene and healing tea garden in the enclosed rear yard of my dispensary, A Therapeutic Alternative, located at 3015 H Street in East Sacramento. This space would be discreet, not visible from the street, and would not permit onsite smoking or vaporizing.
I am requesting your input on the Agenda Item 16, regarding Amendments to Title 17 to include the position to allow non-conforming uses such as mine to go through the Planning Commission Conditional Use Permit and Public Hearing process, allowing my neighborhood to decide whether I should be allowed to provide this service or not.
When the City Council approved onsite consumption permits for dispensaries last year, I understood this decision as an opportunity for storefront dispensaries that meet regulatory requirements to provide safe, community-oriented spaces for consumers across various neighborhoods. Previous Councilmember Valenzuela, specifically made an amendment to the proposal to allow for our tea garden. The motion was passed unanimously.
However, recent proposed amendments to Title 17 jeopardize this opportunity. The proposed mandatory buffer zone regarding setbacks from sensitive uses would exclude A Therapeutic Alternative from the permitting process, despite our long-standing commitment to operating responsibly near many sensitive uses for the last 15 years.
For over 15 years, A Therapeutic Alternative has been a pillar of our community, fostering safety, support, and engagement. We have helped maintain security in our neighborhood, particularly during challenging times such as the pandemic, civil unrest, and the rise in homelessness. As active members of the McKinley East Sacramento Neighborhood Association’s Yellow Brick Road Project, our security team ensures the safety of children walking to and from Miwok Middle School. We have also established a direct line of communication with McKinley Montessori School, providing our security team's contact information—an invaluable resource that has been utilized on multiple occasions. Additionally, we take great pride in keeping our neighborhood clean through daily trash pickup, earning the appreciation of our neighbors.
As a medically focused dispensary, we primarily serve customers over the age of 60, operating with the professionalism and discretion of a doctor’s office. Our goal is to create a tranquil, educational environment where seniors can learn how to safely and effectively incorporate cannabis into their wellness routines.
This tea garden would align with the vision of other approved onsite consumption spaces in Sacramento while embodying the unique and compassionate ethos of A Therapeutic Alternative. Our motto, “We are the place you can send your mom to—and your mom’s mom,” reflects our unwavering commitment to creating a welcoming and supportive space for seniors. There is no other dispensary in Sacramento where older adults can feel as comfortable or receive the level of education and care that we provide.

Please do not go to Sun Spa, located at 6804 Fruitridge Rd #A
Sacramento, CA, 95820, as well as q spa, located at 4215 Norwood avenue, suite #12, sacramento, ca, 95838, They will all claim that they are too busy for you.

Dear Mayor and Councilmembers,

My name is Maisha Bahati, Co-Founder and CEO of Crystal Nugs, a CORE-certified social equity dispensary in Midtown Sacramento. In 2022, our dispensary was approved for a CUP, and we have already invested more than $70,000 into preparing a compliant lounge space because we are committed to this program.

I want to highlight the importance of how sensitive uses are defined in this ordinance, particularly when it comes to churches. While schools, libraries, and treatment centers are fixed institutions that make sense for buffers, independent churches are unique because they often move in and out of commercial spaces.

Here in District 4 especially, where Crystal Nugs is located, there is frequent turnover and growth. A building may be vacant one year, a church the next, and then vacant again.

Operators who followed the rules, secured CUP approvals, and made significant investments should not lose eligibility simply because a sensitive use later moved in nearby. That creates unpredictability and unfairly impacts equity and small operators, who already face higher barriers.

I strongly support staff’s recommendation, which provides clear and predictable rules, while also recognizing the Planning and Design Commission’s CUP pathway as a reasonable option for operators with unique zoning challenges.

Sacramento has an opportunity to lead with a program that is both safe and equitable. I urge you to adopt staff’s recommendation so that responsible operators committed to this industry can move forward with confidence.

Respectfully,
Maisha Bahati
Co-Founder & CEO, Crystal Nugs