State law and King County Code require licensed cannabis retailers, producers, and processors to sit at least 1000 feet from schools, playgrounds, recreation centers, child care, public parks, public transit centers, libraries, and game arcades. Cities may reduce the buffer to 100 feet for some uses.
RCW 69.50.331 and WAC 314-55-050 set a 1000 foot buffer between cannabis licensees and sensitive uses, measured by the most direct route. Cities and counties may reduce the buffer to 100 feet for parks, transit centers, libraries, and arcades, but the 1000 foot rule for elementary and secondary schools and playgrounds remains mandatory. King County retained the full buffer in unincorporated areas. Several cities including Seattle reduced buffers near transit and libraries to expand legal retail sites. Producer-processor sites use the same measurements.
Operating inside the buffer leads to license denial, revocation by the WSLCB, and county code enforcement actions that can shut down the business and impose daily civil penalties.
Auburn, WA
Auburn applies WAC 173-60 EDNA limits through ACC 8.28. Residential: 55 dBA day, 45 dBA night. Industrial receiving: 60 dBA day, 50 dBA night. Measured at th...
Auburn, WA
Industrial sources into residential zones are capped at 60 dBA day and 50 dBA night under WAC 173-60 via ACC 8.28. The Boeing Auburn plant and Valley warehou...
Auburn, WA
Federal law preempts local aircraft noise. Auburn Municipal Airport follows FAA Part 150 and Sea-Tac overflights are under FAA and Port of Seattle. ACC 8.28 ...
Auburn, WA
Outdoor concerts and festivals must meet ACC 8.28 limits and often need a special event permit. Downtown Auburn and Les Gove Park events follow a written noi...
Auburn, WA
Auburn restricts RV, trailer, and boat parking on public streets to 72 hours and sets additional limits on driveway and front-yard storage of recreational ve...
Auburn, WA
EV charging in Auburn follows the Washington State Energy Code, which requires EV-ready capacity in new multifamily and commercial parking and protects publi...
Side-by-side rule comparisons with other cities in King County.
See how Auburn's buffer zones rules stack up against other locations.
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