Santa Maria, CA Business Licensing & Operations: Adult Entertainment (2026)

103 restricts Adult Oriented Businesses to the C-1 (central business district) and C-2 (general commercial) zones only. 104 says no such business may open unless the owner first obtains a City business license and meets all other Municipal Code requirements; unlike most commercial uses, no conditional use permit or planned development permit is required, unless the business will serve alcohol, in which case a conditional use permit for alcohol sales is required. 105(a) and (b) set the buffer distances: an Adult Oriented Business can't be within 750 feet of a lot holding a public park, children's school, church, or City public library or branch, and can't be within 750 feet of any other Adult Oriented Business.

Distances are measured on a straight level line from the closest exterior wall or tenant space of the business to the closest lot line of the protected use, ignoring intervening structures. 105(c) requires the City to issue a provisional business license within 30 calendar days of a complete application if the required findings can be made, and that provisional license expires automatically if the business isn't established within two years, at which point all distance requirements are reevaluated as of the new application date. 105(s)).