Berkeley dispensaries must sit at least 600 feet from K-12 schools, day care centers, and youth centers under California Business and Professions Code section 26054 and Berkeley zoning rules.
California Business and Professions Code section 26054 sets a default 600-foot buffer between any licensed cannabis business and a K-12 school, day care center, or youth center, measured from the closest property lines. Berkeley Municipal Code Chapter 12.27 and the Berkeley Zoning Ordinance incorporate the state buffer and add their own siting standards, including limits on the total number of storefront retailers. Cities may shorten the buffer by ordinance, but Berkeley has kept the 600-foot minimum. Operators must provide buffer documentation with permit applications and recertify when nearby uses change.
Operating inside a buffer zone or misrepresenting distances can void a use permit, void a state license, and lead to closure orders from Berkeley zoning and the Department of Cannabis Control.
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