Does Arlington, TX have its own buffer zones ordinance?

No. Arlington, TX does not appear to have a local buffer zones ordinance, Texas state law applies instead. The rules summarized on this page come from Arlington City Code.

Key Facts Ordinance Text Full Breakdown Violations FAQ Sources More in Arlington

Arlington, TX Cannabis Regulations: Buffer Zones (2026)

Few Restrictions

Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified May 2026

Key Facts

State framework: Tex. HSC Ch. 487 CUP
Recreational status: Illegal in Texas
Local buffer ordinance: None
Licensing agency: Texas DPS

Summary

Texas allows only low-THC medical cannabis under the Compassionate Use Program; Arlington has no recreational dispensary buffers because no recreational retail is lawful statewide.

Sec. 487.201. COUNTIES AND MUNICIPALITIES MAY NOT PROHIBIT LOW-THC CANNABIS. A municipality, county, or other political subdivision may not enact, adopt, or enforce a rule, ordinance, order, resolution, or other regulation that prohibits the cultivation, production, storage, dispensing, or possession of low-THC cannabis, as authorized by this chapter. Sec. 487.101. LICENSE REQUIRED. (a) A license issued by the department under this chapter is required to operate a dispensing organization. Sec. 487.104. ISSUANCE, RENEWAL, OR DENIAL OF LICENSE.

Source: Arlington City CodeView official code

Full Breakdown

Texas Health and Safety Code Chapter 487 authorizes only the Compassionate Use Program (CUP), which permits low-THC cannabis (under 1 percent THC) for narrow medical conditions through state-licensed dispensing organizations. Recreational marijuana sales remain illegal under Texas law, so Arlington has no need for a recreational dispensary buffer ordinance. The handful of CUP dispensing organizations are licensed and sited under DPS rules, not local buffer ordinances. Arlington zoning treats CUP dispensing organizations as pharmacy-like uses and does not impose distance buffers from schools, parks, or churches beyond standard commercial zoning.

Violations & Fines

Operating an unlicensed cannabis retail outlet in Arlington exposes operators to state felony drug-distribution charges; the city's role is zoning and code enforcement.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a recreational dispensary open in Arlington?

No. Texas law prohibits recreational cannabis retail. Any storefront marketing recreational marijuana operates illegally and faces state criminal enforcement, not local zoning fines alone.

Are CBD shops regulated like dispensaries?

No. Hemp-derived CBD retailers operate under Texas Department of State Health Services hemp rules and are treated by Arlington zoning as ordinary retail, without cannabis-specific buffers.

Sources & Official References

[1]Texas HSC Chapter 487

Other rules in Arlington

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All Arlington rules

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