Kentucky law and Lexington zoning require medical cannabis dispensaries to sit at least 1,000 feet from K-12 schools and daycares, with additional spacing from other dispensaries set by Lexington's text amendment.
KRS 218B.080 prohibits any medical cannabis business from locating within 1,000 feet of an existing K-12 school or licensed daycare, measured property line to property line. Lexington-Fayette's Zoning Ordinance text amendment for cannabis (effective 2024) layers additional standards: dispensaries are conditional uses limited to specific commercial and industrial districts, and the city imposes minimum spacing between dispensaries to avoid clustering. Buffers also apply to public parks where the Council exercised local option. Applicants must submit a survey-grade buffer map at application. The buffer is measured from the licensed premises footprint, not just the building entrance.
Operating a dispensary inside a buffer zone violates state law and local zoning, exposing operators to OMC license revocation, zoning violation citations, and forced closure orders.
Lexington, KY
Kentucky's medical cannabis program under KRS 218B issues a limited number of business licenses through a state lottery; Lexington has no separate local soci...
Lexington, KY
Lexington-Fayette permits medical cannabis dispensaries, processors, and cultivators only in specific zoning districts as conditional uses, with cultivation ...
See how Lexington's buffer zones rules stack up against other locations.
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