A prominent business owner who had her cannabis license revoked by the city last year has dropped an expected appeal just days before it had been scheduled. City officials say her license revocation is now permanent.
Driving the news: Joy Brown Meredith, who until last October operated both the Joy of Life Wellness retail cannabis shop on West Oasis Road and a nearby grow operation, confirmed Monday the appeal was dropped. The city also confirmed the news, adding that, “The suspension was only pending the appeal. The appeal was withdrawn and the revocation is permanent.”
- The appeal was originally scheduled before the Palm Springs City Council last December but was removed after the city canceled the revocation. The city quickly reissued the revocation after reworking language to describe the full scope of the allegations more adequately.
- The appeal was expected to be on the Council agenda this Thursday, but never made it.
At issue: In ordering the revocation, the city alleged authorities inspecting Meredith’s West San Rafael Drive grow operation discovered evidence of marijuana cultivation in Unit 7 of the building. Meredith’s license covers only the adjacent Unit 6.
- In total, the city was alleging two dozen violations of city and state laws governing cannabis activity.
What’s next: Meredith was one of the original cannabis license holders in the city, but without a license to operate here her days in that industry appear over. It was not immediately clear whether she would perhaps take the matter to court. Calls to her attorney Monday afternoon and evening were not returned.
- Meredith continues to operate Crystal Fantasy on North Palm Canyon Drive. She also continues to serve as president of the Main Street Palm Springs business owners’ group, a position she has held for decades.
By the numbers: As we first reported a year ago, the city is awash in pot shops. With 30 active dispensary licenses, Palm Springs has roughly one per every 1,600 residents. That’s a higher density than just about any place on the planet.
- Los Angeles, for example, placed a cap on the number of retail cannabis licenses it allows, limiting them to one per every 50,000 residents.
