Cannabis Environmental Impact Report

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The Draft EIR public review period ended on March 31, 2025. To review the Draft EIR, please visit the project's CEQA Public Review webpage.

The County is preparing a Program Environmental Impact Report (EIR) to study the potential environmental impacts of the Socially Equitable Cannabis Program as required by the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). Staff is working with consultants from Ascent Environmental, Inc. to prepare the EIR.

What is CEQA?

CEQA (pronounced “SEE-kwuh”), is a state law created in 1970. It requires all California state and local public agencies to study the potential significant environmental impacts of a proposed project prior to approval.

The objectives of CEQA are to:

  • Disclose potential significant environmental impacts
  • Identify ways to avoid or reduce significant environmental impacts
  • Prevent environmental damage by requiring implementation of feasible alternatives or mitigation measures
  • Foster interagency coordination and public participation
  • Show that the agency is considering environmental implications of actions prior to making decisions

Click on the CEQA Training Video link for an overview of CEQA for community members and stakeholders.

Purpose of an EIR

If a proposed project has potential to cause one or more significant environmental impacts, CEQA requires an agency to prepare an EIR.

The purpose of an EIR is to:

  • Inform the public about a project's potential significant environmental impacts and ways the lead agency can potentially avoid, minimize, reduce, or mitigate for them
  • Demonstrate that the environment is being considered prior to approving the project and that the agency has considered the environmental implications of its actions
  • Ensure prevention of environmental damage by requiring implementation of feasible alternatives or mitigation measures

How Do I Get Involved?

The CEQA process is expected to be a multi-year process and there will be multiple opportunities for public participation as the County prepares the EIR. Information on engagement opportunities will be posted to this page, when available.

We encourage you to also:

  • Stay informed by reviewing the information on this site
  • Share information with your communities
  • Participate in the engagement tools on this site
  • Contribute to the conversations at meetings
  • Review and comment on draft ordinances when available
  • Ask questions

To subscribe to the Cannabis Program email notification list, select “Stay Informed” (on the right for webpage users or scroll down for mobile users).

The Draft EIR public review period ended on March 31, 2025. To review the Draft EIR, please visit the project's CEQA Public Review webpage.

The County is preparing a Program Environmental Impact Report (EIR) to study the potential environmental impacts of the Socially Equitable Cannabis Program as required by the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). Staff is working with consultants from Ascent Environmental, Inc. to prepare the EIR.

What is CEQA?

CEQA (pronounced “SEE-kwuh”), is a state law created in 1970. It requires all California state and local public agencies to study the potential significant environmental impacts of a proposed project prior to approval.

The objectives of CEQA are to:

  • Disclose potential significant environmental impacts
  • Identify ways to avoid or reduce significant environmental impacts
  • Prevent environmental damage by requiring implementation of feasible alternatives or mitigation measures
  • Foster interagency coordination and public participation
  • Show that the agency is considering environmental implications of actions prior to making decisions

Click on the CEQA Training Video link for an overview of CEQA for community members and stakeholders.

Purpose of an EIR

If a proposed project has potential to cause one or more significant environmental impacts, CEQA requires an agency to prepare an EIR.

The purpose of an EIR is to:

  • Inform the public about a project's potential significant environmental impacts and ways the lead agency can potentially avoid, minimize, reduce, or mitigate for them
  • Demonstrate that the environment is being considered prior to approving the project and that the agency has considered the environmental implications of its actions
  • Ensure prevention of environmental damage by requiring implementation of feasible alternatives or mitigation measures

How Do I Get Involved?

The CEQA process is expected to be a multi-year process and there will be multiple opportunities for public participation as the County prepares the EIR. Information on engagement opportunities will be posted to this page, when available.

We encourage you to also:

  • Stay informed by reviewing the information on this site
  • Share information with your communities
  • Participate in the engagement tools on this site
  • Contribute to the conversations at meetings
  • Review and comment on draft ordinances when available
  • Ask questions

To subscribe to the Cannabis Program email notification list, select “Stay Informed” (on the right for webpage users or scroll down for mobile users).

  • Cannabis Program Planning Commission Hearing (Informational Item)

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    The County of San Diego’s Planning Commission will receive an informational update on the draft Socially Equitable Cannabis Program during the noted hearing date. No formal recommendations will be made on the Cannabis Program.

    Name: Socially Equitable Cannabis Program

    Date: October 17, 2025

    Description: This is an informational item for the Planning Commission to receive an update and presentation on the draft Socially Equitable Cannabis Program (SECP).

    The draft SECP would allow for new cannabis facilities in the unincorporated areas of the county, including cultivation, distribution, manufacturing, microbusiness, retail, consumption lounges, temporary cannabis events, and testing laboratories. The draft SECP is being considered in response to the Board of Supervisors' January 27, 2021 direction to develop amendments to the Zoning Ordinance and County of San Diego Regulatory Code to allow the permitting and licensing of new commercial cannabis uses.

    The draft SECP includes four components: 1) Proposed regulatory requirements, including draft amendments to the County Zoning Ordinance and the Regulatory Code, 2) a proposed licensing and permitting structure and procedures, 3) a Draft Program Environmental Impact Report (PEIR) to analyze potential environmental impacts from the program, and 4) a Social Equity Program promoting fair access to the cannabis industry for those who have been impacted by cannabis-related criminalization and the War on Drugs.

    This informational item is an opportunity for the Planning Commission to receive an overview of the draft Zoning Ordinance amendments and the Draft PEIR, a summary of public outreach and feedback, and potential zoning ordinance changes that reflect stakeholder comments.

    No action or decisions will be requested from the Commission at this time, and the item will return to the Planning Commission at a later date for a formal recommendation to the Board of Supervisors.

    Hearing Information

    Date: October 17, 2025

    Time: 9:00 a.m.

    Location: County Operations Center (COC) Hearing Room, 5520 Overland Avenue, San Diego, CA 92123

    Public Participation

    Those wishing to participate in the meeting and/or comment should visit the Planning Commission website. If you have any questions, please contact the Planning Commission Secretary at PDS.PlanningCommission@sdcounty.ca.gov.

    Assistance for Persons with Disabilities or Requesting Interpretation

    Agendas and records are available in alternative formats upon request. Contact the Planning and Development Services office at (858) 694-3003 with questions or to request a disability-related accommodation. Individuals requiring sign language interpreters should contact the Countywide ADA Title II Coordinator at (619) 531-4908. To the extent reasonably possible, requests for accommodation or assistance should be submitted at least 72 hours in advance of the meeting so that arrangements may be made. An area in the front of the room can be designated for individuals requiring the use of wheelchair or other accessible devices. Please visit the Planning Commission website for more details.

    Staff Contact

    For more information regarding the project, please reach out to the following contact:

    • Dara Elkurdi
    • (858) 505-6677
    • PDS.LongRangePlanning@sdcounty.ca.gov

    Please help us spread the word- share this message with your friends and colleagues!

    Be sure to subscribe to the Cannabis Program email list to receive Program updates.

  • Public Review Period for Draft EIR Concluded

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    The 60-day public review period for the Draft EIR concluded on March 31, 2025. Thank you for your comments!

    All comments received during the Draft EIR public review period will be responded to in the Final EIR. The Draft EIR and draft ordinances are still available for reference on the County's CEQA Public Review page.

    Public comments on the Socially Equitable Cannabis Program are welcome at any time. For any comments not submitted during an identified comment period, please email comments to PDS.LongRangePlanning@sdcounty.ca.gov.

  • NOP and Public Meetings for the Program EIR

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    CLOSED: This discussion has concluded.

    The County prepared and released a Notice of Preparation (NOP) on September 15, 2023, for public review and comment and held two virtual public scoping meetings on October 12 and 17, 2023. The public comment period ended on October 31, 2023.

    The public comment period provided an opportunity for agency staff and interested members of the public to submit written and verbal comments on the scope of the environmental issues to be addressed in the EIR, including any suggestions for measures or alternatives that should be considered to minimize environmental impacts.

    You can review the NOP by following this link: CEQA Public Review (sandiegocounty.gov) or by clicking on the Documents icon on this page.

    Comments received during the scoping period have been reviewed and are being considered as we prepare the Draft EIR.

    EIR Public Scoping Meetings

    The County hosted two public scoping meetings on October 12 and 17, 2023, to present an overview of the Cannabis Program and CEQA and to gather verbal comments on the scope and content of the Cannabis Program EIR.

    Please see ‘EIR Scoping Meeting Presentation’ on the right-hand side of this page to view the slides presented at the scoping meetings.

Page last updated: 06 Oct 2025, 01:29 PM