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Berkeley Cannabis Commissioner Applies for Albany Dispensary Permit

By Becky O'Malley
Wednesday January 26, 2011 - 03:00:00 PM

A story in the Albany Patch online newspaper reports that Mark Rhoades, the former Berkeley Planning Director, has applied for a permit to open a marijuana dispensary in Albany. Rhoades was listed as a voting member of Berkeley's previous Medical Cannabis Commission in the minutes of the commission's November 2010 meeting, although the Berkeley City Clerk's office was unable to confirm his membership in the current commission, which replaced the former one after the November election.  

He is a partner of developer Ali Kashani in the Citycentric development company, and Kashani is also listed as a partner in the Albany dispensary venture. A third partner listed on the Albany application, according to the Patch, is Deborah Goldsberry of Oakland, who works at the Berkeley Patients Group, which has a dispensary at 2747 San Pablo Ave. in Berkeley, and which has been regulated by the Berkeley Cannabis Commission.