Cannabis Regulatory Requirements

As part of the Socially Equitable Cannabis Program (Cannabis Program), the County is developing local regulations to allow for new commercial cannabis facilities within the unincorporated County. This will include updates (also referred to as amendments) to the County Regulatory Code of Ordinances (Regulatory Code) and the County Zoning Ordinance (Zoning Ordinance).

Currently, only the five existing cannabis facilities within the unincorporated area are allowed to operate. No new cannabis facilities are allowed under the existing ordinances. New facilities may be allowed when the Board of Supervisors (Board) adopts the proposed Cannabis Program.

Regulatory Code Update

The Regulatory Code is a set of policies that guides various functions in the County. The proposed Cannabis Program will require the County to update the Regulatory Code. The updates will outline the requirements to run a cannabis business. The requirements may include rules related to signage, security, and licensing criteria. Business types include:

• Retail (including Onsite Consumption)
• Cultivation
• Manufacturing
• Distribution
• Microbusiness
• Testing
• Temporary Events

Zoning Ordinance Update

The Zoning Ordinance regulates land uses in the unincorporated area of the county. Zoning ordinances allow for specific activities in designated areas or zones. This makes sure that activities take place in suitable locations for the protection of people and the environment. The proposed Cannabis Program will require the County to update the Zoning Ordinance. The amendments will outline which cannabis businesses are allowed and the zones where they are permitted.

On January 27, 2021 (4), the Board directed where cannabis businesses can be allowed. They also directed that cannabis facilities cannot be located within 600 feet of a K-12 school, daycare or youth center. This required minimum distance between two uses is a buffer. These types of locations listed are state-identified sensitive uses. Read more about sensitive uses in the FAQ/definitions on this page.

Table 1. Board Directed Zoning for Cannabis Facilities

On June 15, 2022 (7), the Board directed staff to explore a 1,000-foot setback from additional sensitive uses such as parks, places of worship, public libraries, and residential care facilities, among others. Both the 600 and 1,000-foot setbacks will be analyzed as part of the Program Environmental Impact Report (EIR) staff is preparing for the Cannabis Program.

How Do I Get Involved?

• 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 users).