Cannabis companies looking to enter the Stockton market now have different rules to play by.
Tuesday, the Stockton City Council amended the city’s municipal code, making sweeping changes to the location requirements for cannabis businesses.
Up until now, Stockton’s location requirements were not extensive. There was no limit on the number of storefront retailers or multi-use microbusinesses.
There was also a 300-foot buffer from residential zones as well as a 600-foot buffer from parks, schools, day cares, youth centers, child care centers, family day care homes, religious facilities and drug abuse or alcohol recovery and treatment facilities.
Now, the city council approved a new ordinance to limit the number of eligible parcels in town to 759.
The council also reinstated the cap for the maximum number of storefront retailers at 14.
The 300-foot residential buffer remains intact with the council’s amendment.
While the 600-foot separation rules have kept much of the previous standards – including a buffer zone for schools, day cares, youth centers and drug abuse or alcohol recovery and treatment facilities – changes have been made.
With the amendment, cannabis businesses cannot be located within 600 feet of nursery schools, public parks, playgrounds, recreational areas.
Businesses also cannot be within 600 feet of places of religious worship, excluding religious facilities that are located in industrial zones for cannabis businesses that do not have a retail storefront component.
The council also added a 1,000-foot buffer zone between storefront retailers and microbusinesses.
Per the council’s action, all applicants within the last 12 months that were denied based on location restrictions are allowed to reapply.
