Imagine the surprise when city officials walk in on a medical marijuana dispensary they didn’t know was there.

Every month or so, Mary Ann Nihart, the mayor of Pacifica, picks a business neighborhood and walks around with City Manager Steve Rhodes and the Director of Public Works Van Ocampo and Police Chief Jim Tasa. Courtney Conlin, the CEO of the Chamber of Commerce joins the group, as do other Chamber board members.

Last week, the focus of the mayor’s walk was Palmetto Avenue.

The group had made their way almost all the way down the street and talked to many business owners along the way. They were nearing the end of their walk near the library when the unmistakable odor of marijuana wafted out of a door the mayor opened.

Unbeknowst to city officials, a medical marijuana dispensary had been in business for about a month there. The business owner, Ruben Salvatierra, received a city business license, but to operate a flower shop, not a medical marijuana dispensary.

“It was a pretty funny moment,” said Salvatierra. “It was a surprise to me and to the mayor. The police chief was concerned about what was going on. Everyone was surprised.”

On Friday, the police served a cease and desist order from City Hall and shut the dispensary down.

“They have to close because their license was obtained with false information. Our code requires they state the true nature of the business,” Rhodes said.

But if Salvatierra had stated the true nature of his business, he would not have been allowed to operate.

“It’s not an allowed use in the Pacifica zoning code. They have the right to appeal it to City Council,” Rhodes said.

Salvatieera said he filed an appeal to City Council yesterday.

He declined to comment about why he chose to name “flower shop” as the nature of his business on his Pacifica business license. Salvatierra owns another medical marijuana dispensary in Vallejo where he said he once again wrote down something other than the true nature of the business on the application, although he did not call it a flower shop.

He’s going to consult with his attorney for advice about how to proceed in Pacifica.

“There is no requirement per state law for a business license,” he said. “There is no ban or moratorium against it. I’m sure I can get this fixed.”

The city of South San Francisco did place a moratorium against medical marijuana dispensaries on the books two years ago and recently changed the zoning to forbid that use, said SSF city clerk Krista Martinelli. East Palo Alto also has a ban in effect, according to Brett Butler of the Planning Division.