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Skagit County, WA Cannabis Regulations: Buffer Zones (2026)

Significant Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Governing section
SCC 14.18.262, Marijuana facility
Buffer method
Set per special use permit, no fixed feet
Notice radius
1,000 feet for marijuana facility hearings
Solvent extraction zone
BR-HI only, closed-loop system
Home grow
Allowed in all zones for medical use
Enforcement penalty
Up to $1,000 fine or 90 days jail

Summary

Unincorporated Skagit County sets no fixed buffer distance for marijuana facilities. SCC 14.18.262(8)(b) instead requires every special use permit for a production, processing, or retail facility to address the appropriate distance from residences, schools, daycare facilities, and parks case by case, and the county mails hearing notices to owners within 1,000 feet, the widest notice radius the code uses for any land use.

These county ordinances apply to unincorporated areas of Skagit County. Incorporated cities within the county may have their own rules that take precedence over county-level regulations.

(e) For a notice of application or a notice of public hearing, via first-class mail in full or as a postcard summary with a web link to the full notice, to owners of property and residents of parcels within the following distances from the exterior boundaries of the subject property and other adjoining property under substantially similar ownership: (i) For marijuana facilities, within 1,000 feet; ... (b) Any storage or growing of plants if any portion of such activity can be readily seen by normal unaided vision or readily smelled from a public place or the private property of another housing unit. ... (8) A special use permit for a marijuana production/processing facility must: (a) Be conditioned on holding a current license from the State Liquor and Cannabis Board; (b) Address impacts on surrounding properties, including but not limited to the appropriate distance of the facility from residences, schools, daycare facilities, public parks, other public facilities, and other marijuana facilities;

Full Breakdown

262, which classifies them as marijuana cooperatives, production facilities, processing facilities, or retail facilities and treats production and processing as an industrial use rather than agriculture. A marijuana facility is allowed only where explicitly listed for a zone, and a special use permit for a production or processing facility must be conditioned on a current Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board license and must address the distance of the facility from residences, schools, daycare facilities, public parks, other public facilities, and other marijuana facilities, along with odor control, screening from lighting and security fencing, waste disposal, and camera placement so cameras view only the facility property.

Marijuana processing with hazardous or flammable solvents is confined to the Bayview Ridge Heavy Industrial (BR-HI) zone and only inside a professional-grade closed-loop extraction system labeled for that use by its manufacturer. Growing or storing marijuana that can be seen with normal unaided vision or smelled from a public place or a neighbor's property is prohibited outright, separate from any permit condition. Growing medical marijuana at home for personal use consistent with state law is allowed in every zone without a facility permit. Ventilation must prevent detectable off-premises odor, and the Fire Marshal must be notified whenever the Department approves a production or processing permit.

Because the code sets no printed footage, the actual separation from a school or park is fixed permit-by-permit through the special use process, not by a blanket ordinance number.

Violations & Fines

Operating a marijuana production, processing, or retail facility without the required special use permit and Liquor and Cannabis Board license, or running a grow that is visible or smellable off-site, is a Title 14 violation. Planning and Development Services investigates and can issue a stop work order or administrative order under SCC Chapter 14.09; the property owner is jointly and severally liable, each day of noncompliance is a separate violation under SCC 14.09.120(5), and an unresolved violation can bring a misdemeanor charge with a fine up to $1,000, up to 90 days in jail, or both, under SCC 14.09.130(1).

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there a set buffer distance between a Skagit County marijuana facility and a school?
No. SCC 14.18.262(8)(b) requires the special use permit itself to address the appropriate distance from residences, schools, daycare facilities, and public parks case by case; the county does not print a fixed number of feet in the ordinance, so the buffer is set through the permit review.
Can I grow marijuana at home in unincorporated Skagit County without a permit?
Yes, for medical use consistent with state law: SCC 14.18.262(5)(c) allows growing medical marijuana at home by individuals in all zones. Any grow visible to normal unaided vision or smellable from a public place or a neighbor's property is prohibited under SCC 14.18.262(6)(b).
Where can marijuana processing use hazardous solvents in Skagit County?
Only in the Bayview Ridge Heavy Industrial (BR-HI) zone, and only inside a professional-grade closed-loop extraction system labeled for that use by its manufacturer, per SCC 14.18.262(5)(b).

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Skagit County

All Skagit County rules

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