Virginia law sets minimum buffers between cannabis facilities and schools, daycares, and similar uses. Fairfax County may impose additional setbacks through its special exception zoning process.
The Virginia Cannabis Control Act establishes minimum statewide buffer requirements for licensed cannabis facilities, generally requiring separation from public and private K-12 schools, licensed daycares, and other sensitive uses. Fairfax County's Zoning Ordinance layers additional setback or special exception conditions when reviewing pharmaceutical processor or cultivation site applications, particularly in mixed-use districts like Tysons and Reston. Applicants must show distance compliance through a certified site plan. Religious, residential, and park-adjacent locations often face stricter scrutiny. Any future adult-use retail will be subject to whatever buffer scheme the General Assembly adopts plus any local conditions Fairfax imposes through Board of Supervisors action.
Facilities found within prohibited buffers can lose state licensure, lose Fairfax special exception approval, and be ordered to cease operations.
See how Fairfax's buffer zones rules stack up against other locations.
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