Sonoma County Board of Supervisors advances Cannabis Program update

The Sonoma County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday advanced the Cannabis Program update, taking a straw vote to approve parts of the updated program following a public hearing.

The Cannabis Program update refines the County’s cannabis permitting framework and environmental policies, aligning land use and regulatory standards. The Board’s action marks a significant step toward updating the County’s cannabis policies, with final adoption of the Environmental Impact Report, general plan amendment, and ordinances scheduled for Dec. 9.

Key changes include allowing most supply chain uses in industrial and commercial areas by right, including consumption lounges. In agricultural areas, the Board voted to reclassify cannabis as a “controlled” agricultural crop with right to farm protections and allowances for more vertical integration at cannabis farms, which will further integrate cannabis into the agricultural landscape of the county and provide additional business opportunities and flexibility.

The Board voted to improve neighborhood compatibility by adding a new 1,000-foot setback from all residential zoning and also voted to strengthen current setbacks by applying the 100-foot property line setback and 300-foot setback from neighboring residences to the entire cannabis operation.

The updated program builds on several years of public outreach, environmental review, and interdepartmental coordination. Once finalized, the ordinance will guide cannabis land use permitting, licensing, and compliance under a single, streamlined structure.

For more information about the Cannabis Program Update and Environmental Impact Report, visit:
https://sonomacounty.gov/administrative-support-and-fiscal-services/county-administrators-office/projects/cannabis-program

Contact:
Sonoma County Administrator’s Office, Cannabis Program
Email: Cannabis@SonomaCounty.gov
Phone: (707) 565-2431

Media Contact:
Genevieve Bertone, Ed.D.
Permit Sonoma, Outreach Division
Email: Genevieve.Bertone@SonomaCounty.gov
Phone: (707) 565-1231