Lynnwood, WA Cannabis Regulations: Buffer Zones (2026)
Key Facts
- School/playground buffer
- 1,000 feet
- Park/rec/library/transit buffer
- 100 feet
- Citywide retail cap
- 4 stores
- Distance measured
- shortest straight line
- Dual license required
- state WSLCB + city license
Summary
Lynnwood caps retail cannabis stores at four citywide and keeps them 1,000 feet from schools and playgrounds, and 100 feet from parks, recreation centers, libraries, child care centers, transit centers and under-21 game arcades. The Unified Development Code measures the shortest straight line between property perimeters, and only WSLCB-licensed retailers may locate at all.
A. Retail Cannabis. 1. A retail cannabis business may not be located within 1,000 feet of the perimeter of the grounds of any of the following entities: a. Elementary or secondary school; b. Playground; ... 2. A retail cannabis business may not be located within 100 feet of the perimeter of the grounds of any of the following entities: a. Recreation center or facility; b. Child care center; c. Public park that is existing; d. Public transit center; e. Library; or f. Game arcade that allows admittance of persons under the age of 21.
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 3512, passed May 26, 2026).
Full Breakdown
0345(A) sets Lynnwood's retail cannabis siting rules inside the Unified Development Code, the city's live land-use title since Title 21 zoning expired June 30, 2025. Subsection (A)(1) bars a retail cannabis business within 1,000 feet of any elementary or secondary school or playground, using the WAC 314-55-010(39) definition of playground. Subsection (A)(2) sets a tighter 100-foot buffer from a recreation center or facility, child care center, existing public park, public transit center, library, or a game arcade admitting persons under 21, borrowing the WAC 314-55-010(41) definition of public park.
Per (A)(3), the buffer is measured as the shortest straight line from the proposed retail location's perimeter to the listed use's perimeter, per WAC 314-55-050. The code caps the whole city at no more than four retail cannabis businesses, with priority to applicants already holding a valid Lynnwood title certificate from the Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board as of the ordinance's effective date. 06 LMC, and be certified as a medical marijuana provider by the Liquor and Cannabis Board. 0800 is most restrictive, and off-premises signage is barred outright. 0370(B).
Violations & Fines
A retail cannabis application inside a buffer zone or beyond the four-store citywide cap is denied at the land-use review stage under LMC 8.35.0345(A); the development and business services department checks siting against Chapter 8.90 LMC's permit process before any local business license issues. Operating without both the required WSLCB retail license and the city business license under Chapter 5.06 LMC exposes the business to license revocation and closure.
Frequently Asked Questions
How far must a Lynnwood cannabis retailer be from a school?
How many cannabis retail stores can operate in Lynnwood?
Can a Lynnwood cannabis shop put up off-premises signs?
Is cannabis growing or processing allowed in Lynnwood?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Lynnwood
Compare Lynnwood to another location·View the Washington cannabis regulations overview
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Buffer Zones in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Snohomish County handle buffer zones.