Yolo County, CA Cannabis Regulations: Buffer Zones (2026)
Key Facts
- Public parks (new licensee)
- 1,000 ft from parcel
- Schools/day cares (new licensee)
- 1,000 ft from building
- Existing licensees
- 600 ft buffer
- Capay Valley
- Flat 1,000 ft buffer
- City-adjacent residential land
- 1,500 ft (new licensees)
- Tribal cultural resources
- 1,000 ft
Summary
New or relocating Yolo County cannabis operations must sit at least 1,000 feet from public parks and from public or licensed private schools, day cares, places of worship, and drug or alcohol treatment facilities. Existing licensees get a reduced 600-foot buffer; Capay Valley uses a flat 1,000-foot rule.
E. Buffers. Unless otherwise identified, the following buffers are required between any cannabis use and any identified sensitive land use: ... Public parks: 1,000 ft for new or relocating licensees, 1,000 ft in Capay Valley, 600 ft for Existing Licensees; Measure Buffer From: Parcel. ... Licensed day cares / Recognized places of worship / Public or licensed private schools / Licensed treatment facilities for drugs or alcohol / Licensed youth centers: 600 ft for Existing Licensees, 1,000 ft for new or relocating licensees, 1,000 ft in Capay Valley; Measure Buffer From: Building.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-21: Supplement 2026 S-21 includes: Local legislation current through Ord. 1584, effective June 25, 2026).
Full Breakdown
Sec. 1408(E) sets mandatory buffers "between any cannabis use and any identified sensitive land use" for outdoor cannabis activities. Public parks require 1,000 feet for new or relocating licensees, measured from the parcel, or 600 feet for existing licensees; in the Capay Valley the buffer is a flat 1,000 feet regardless of license status. The same 1,000-foot (new)/600-foot (existing) structure applies to licensed day cares, recognized places of worship, public or licensed private schools, and licensed drug or alcohol treatment facilities, measured to the building.
Off-site residences on separately owned parcels in non-residential zones carry the same tiers, measured from the building. Residentially zoned land, including land within city limits, land contiguous to city limits at El Macero, Willowbank, Royal Oaks Mobile Home Park, and Westucky, and land inside the town growth boundaries of Clarksburg, Dunnigan, Esparto, Knights Landing, Madison, Yolo, and Zamora, carries an extended 1,500-foot buffer for new or relocating licensees, measured from the zone boundary. Federal trust lands and Tribal Cultural Resources each require 1,000 feet, measured from the parcel or resource boundary.
Sec. 1404(J) allows the county to exempt a permitted cannabis use from these buffers if a new sensitive land use moves in after the cannabis use permit was already issued, so the buffer runs against new cannabis siting rather than clawing back existing, lawfully sited operations.
Violations & Fines
Siting or expanding a new or relocating cannabis operation inside the applicable buffer from a school, park, day care, place of worship, or treatment facility violates Sec. 8-2.1408(E) and is grounds for denial or conditioning of the Cannabis Use Permit; the county's three-level nuisance enforcement track (alert, warning citation, Notice of Violation) under Sec. 8-2.1408(CC) can escalate to suspension or revocation of an existing permit for related violations.
Frequently Asked Questions
How far must a new Yolo County cannabis operation be from a school?
Is the school and park buffer the same everywhere in the county?
Does the buffer apply if a school opens near an existing cannabis farm later?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Yolo County
California rules heatmap·Compare Yolo County to another location·View the California cannabis regulations overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.