What you can do
- Speak at the planning group when it comes up (next meeting Thursday 19 November, 7 pm) →
The planning group lists the license application as a future agenda item, but has not said which meeting. Check the posted agenda before you go. The planning group's recommendation goes to the City's Hearing Officer, who decides at a public hearing. Anyone can speak, at the Serra Mesa–Kearny Mesa Library or on Zoom.
- Ask to be notified of the hearing ↗
The City's notice of application gives the project manager's phone number and email. Ask to be told the date of the Hearing Officer hearing, and quote PRJ-1157548. No date has been set yet.
- Request the plans and the City's review comments ↗
Make a free public records request. In the form, choose "Development Services" under Department, and paste this into Request description: "All plans and documents submitted for project PRJ-1157548 (3355 Sandrock Rd), and the City's review comments on each submission." The form asks for your name, phone and address, and the request itself is published on the portal.
- Get the City's Serra Mesa notices by email ↗
Sign up for "Serra Mesa: Public Notices & CPG Agendas" and the City emails you each hearing notice and planning group agenda for Serra Mesa.
Where it stands
The owners of the smoke shop at 3355 Sandrock Rd have applied for a Conditional Use Permit. A Conditional Use Permit allows a use only under conditions the City sets. This one would let the shop sell beer, wine and spirits to take away (a Type 21 license).
The 0.03-acre site is zoned CN-1-2 (neighborhood commercial). It lies inside Montgomery Field's airport influence area, the area around the airport where extra land-use rules apply. The state license application for this address has been pending with the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control since September 2024.
The police recommend approval with two limits. Sales would be allowed only from 6 a.m. to midnight. Tobacco products could take up no more than 10 percent of the shop.
The police report notes three things. The census tract already has the two off-sale licenses (licenses to sell alcohol to take away) its population allows. The shop is within 100 feet of homes. And after an August site visit, police issued the shop a notice of violation for selling flavored nicotine products. A follow-up check found them removed.
Next: The City's Hearing Officer will decide at a public hearing, where anyone can speak. The City calls this Process 3. The City will mail a separate notice with the hearing date.
The project is going through environmental review. In November 2026 the City's permit data showed the application waiting for corrections from the applicant.
The planning group had planned to discuss it on October 15, but that meeting was cancelled. Its November/December newsletter lists the application as a future agenda item. No November agenda had been posted by November 6.
- Police recommendation
- City notice of application
- Planning group minutes
- Community council newsletter, planning group future agenda items (page 6)
Updated