Cannabis Information

These facilities include operations involving:

• Agricultural raising, harvesting and processing of cannabis;
• Wholesale distribution and storage of cannabis and cannabis products; and/or
• Production of goods from cannabis and cannabis products consistent with the requirements of the California departments of Food and Agriculture, Consumer Affairs and Public Health.

Restrictions

• Facilities are limited to a maximum of 40 Citywide.
• Retail sales and testing are prohibited. 
• Must be located:
  • 1,000 feet from resource- or population-based city parks, churches, childcare centers, playgrounds, libraries, minor-oriented facilities, residential care facilities and schools; and
  • 100 feet from residential zones.
• There are no separation requirements from other Facilities or Cannabis Outlets.

Permit Process
A Conditional Use Permit is required in accordance with a Process Three decision by the Hearing Officer. The Hearing Officer’s decision is appealable to the Planning Commission. For more details, including a summary of the Facility permitting process, and links to helpful information, refer to  Information Bulletin 171.

Pending Applications 
The List of Pending Facility Applications includes Facility Conditional Use Permit applications that have been deemed complete and are currently in review as of the first business day of the month. For more detailed information, search for the status of each project. 

Permitted Locations
This map identifies the addresses of Facilities with approved Conditional Use Permits as of the first business day of the month.

Cannabis Outlets are establishments (retail, medicinal or combination) operating with a Conditional Use Permit where cannabis, cannabis products and cannabis accessories are sold to the public. 

Restrictions

• Outlets are limited a maximum of four per Council District, 36 citywide. 
• Must be located:
  • 1,000 feet from resource- or population-based city parks, other outlets, churches, childcare centers, playgrounds, libraries, minor-oriented facilities, residential care facilities and schools; and
  • 100 feet from residential zones.

Permit Process
A Conditional Use Permit (CUP) is required in accordance with a Process Three decision by the Hearing Officer. The Hearing Officer’s decision is appealable to the Planning Commission. For more details, including a summary of the Outlet permitting process, and links to helpful information, refer to Information Bulletin 170.

Pending Applications
The  List of Pending Cannabis Outlet applications includes Cannabis Outlet Conditional Use Permit applications that have been deemed complete and are currently in review as of the first business day of the month. For more detailed information, search for the status of each project.

Permitted Locations
This map identifies the addresses of Outlets with approved Conditional Use Permits as of the first business day of the month.

March 25, 2014 - The City adopts  Ordinance No. O-20356, which implements zoning regulations for MMCCs. 

November 8, 2016 - San Diego voters pass Measure N, Non-Medical Cannabis Tax, which imposed a gross receipts tax on non-medical cannabis businesses that operate or provide services within the City. The tax applies to non-medical cannabis business activities, including but not limited to transporting, manufacturing, cultivating, packaging or retail sales. Businesses are initially taxed at a rate of 5 percent of monthly gross receipts and will increase to 8 percent on July 1, 2019. This increase cannot exceed 15 percent of gross receipts. Learn more at the Cannabis Business Tax web page.

November 9, 2016 - Control, Regulate and Tax Adult Use of Marijuana Act becomes law and allows for recreational cannabis sales in California by January 2018. 

February 22, 2017 - The City adopts Ordinance No. O-20793, which replaces the MMCC use with a new retail sales use category, Cannabis Outlet. It became effective in areas of the City of San Diego outside of the Coastal Overlay Zone on April 12, 2017 and within the Coastal Overlay Zone on Oct. 12, 2017. 

September 11, 2017 - Ordinance No. O-20859 is introduced, to regulate the cannabis industry relative to commercial cultivation, manufacturing, storage and distribution of medical and recreational cannabis and cannabis products, and to allow by-right cannabis testing labs. It became effective on November 17, 2017, in areas of the City of San Diego outside of the Coastal Overlay Zone, and on February 8, 2018 in areas located within the Coastal Overlay Zone. 

Cannabis Production Facilities with an approved Zoning Use Certificate and a Business Tax Certificate issued before January 31, 2017, are allowed to operate until October 17, 2019.

• Ordinance No. O-20793 - Related to Cannabis Outlets
• Ordinance No. O-20858 - Related to MPFs and the distribution and transport of Cannabis and Cannabis products 
• Ordinance No. O-20859 - Related to testing and MPFs
• Ordinance No. O-21163 – Related to cannabis regulations as part of the 12th Update (Phase Two) of the Land Development Code
• Ordinance No. O-21174 – Related to restricting the billboard advertising of cannabis and cannabis products

• 2019-12-12 12th Code Update – Phase 3 Staff Report
• 2019-10-01 Memo on Cannabis Permitting
• 2019-09-26 DSD Cannabis Permitting Presentation to Planning Commission