Maricopa, AZ Cannabis Regulations: Buffer Zones (2026)
Key Facts
- Dispensary zone
- GC district only, not LI/GI
- School buffer
- 1,500 feet, wall to wall
- Park/day care buffer
- 500 feet
- Residential boundary buffer
- 250 feet
- Hours
- 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. only
- Cultivation cap
- 12 plants per authorized patient
Summary
Maricopa City Code § 18.120.160(C) sets fixed buffer distances for state-licensed medical, "qualifying," marijuana facilities: 1,500 feet from another marijuana facility or a school, 500 feet from a park, church, civic facility, day care or care home, and 250 feet from any residential district boundary.
C. Location. 1. Qualifying marijuana facilities shall be a minimum distance from the uses set forth in the following table, including marijuana qualifying facilities located in neighboring jurisdictions. Measurements shall be made in a straight line in any direction from the exterior wall of the qualifying marijuana facility to the exterior wall of the protected use. ... Another Marijuana Qualifying Facility: 1,500 feet. Public/Private/Charter School: 1,500 feet. Public or Private Park: 500 feet. Religious Facilities: 500 feet. Civic Facilities: 500 feet. Day Care Center: 500 feet. Group and Residential Care Home: 500 feet. Residential District Boundary: 250 feet.
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 26-10, passed April 21, 2026).
Full Breakdown
160(B)). 160(C)(1)). Distances are measured in a straight line from exterior wall to exterior wall, and the zoning administrator has discretion to grant an exception where a manmade or natural barrier separates the uses within the required separation. 160(D)-(H)). 160(J)). 160(K)-(L)). 160(M)).
Violations & Fines
A qualifying marijuana facility sited or operated outside these buffers and standards is enforced as any other zoning violation under Maricopa City Code § 18.190.060: infraction fines run $100 to $500 per repeat offense on the same property within a year, a misdemeanor charge carries $500-$1,000 and up to six months in jail, and the city can also seek a civil penalty of up to $1,000 per day the violation continues, plus revocation of the facility's conditional use approval.
Frequently Asked Questions
How far must a marijuana dispensary be from a school in Maricopa?
What's the buffer from a park or day care?
Which zones allow marijuana dispensaries and cultivation in Maricopa?
What operating limits apply beyond the distance buffers?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Maricopa
Compare Maricopa to another location·View the Arizona cannabis regulations overview
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