Oxnard, CA Cannabis Regulations: Buffer Zones (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- Oxnard Code § 11-473(E)
- Buffer distance
- 600 feet
- Protected uses
- K-12 schools, daycare centers, youth centers
- Measurement method
- Property line to property line, straight line
- First-violation fine
- Up to $10,000 (§ 11-495)
Summary
Oxnard bars every commercial cannabis business, from cultivation sites to retail dispensaries, from locating within 600 feet of a K-12 school, licensed daycare center, or youth center. The distance is measured property-line to property-line in a straight line, on top of the separate zoning districts where cannabis uses are conceptually permitted.
The property on which any commercial cannabis business is located must also meet all of the following distance requirements: (1) It shall be no closer than 600 feet of any of the following: (a) Any school providing instruction in kindergarten or any grades 1 through 12, whether public, private, or charter, including pre-school, transitional kindergarten, and K-12. (b) A commercial daycare center licensed by the city or county that is in existence at the time the license is issued, unless the State licensing authority or the city specifies a different radius. (c) A youth center that is in existence at the time the license is issued, unless the State licensing authority or the city specifies a different radius. (2) The distance specified in this subsection shall be the horizontal distance measured in a straight line from the property line of the identified use to the closest property line of the lot on which the cannabis use is
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Contains Supplement current through 1-26-2026).
Full Breakdown
Sec. 11-473 governs the location and design of cannabis businesses citywide, first conceptually mapping where each business type may sit (manufacturing, testing, and distribution in ML, M1, M2, and BRP-zoned property and specific business parks; cultivation in the same industrial zones plus named specific-plan areas; retail dispensaries in C-1, C-1-PD, C-2, C-2-PD, CNC, and CPD commercial zones and listed specific plans), then layering on distance requirements in subsection (E). Under Sec. 11-473(E)(1), a cannabis business property cannot sit closer than 600 feet to a K-12 school (public, private, or charter, including pre-school and transitional kindergarten), a licensed commercial daycare center existing at the time the permit is issued, or an existing youth center, unless the state licensing authority or the city sets a different radius.
Sec. 11-473(E)(2) fixes how that distance is measured: a straight horizontal line from the property line of the sensitive use to the closest property line of the cannabis lot, not a walking or driving distance. This buffer sits on top of, and is separate from, the 600-foot community-relations notice radius in Sec. 11-489(A), which only requires cannabis businesses to give contact information to neighbors and does not affect siting eligibility.
Violations & Fines
A cannabis business sited in violation of the Sec. 11-473 buffer cannot obtain or retain its commercial cannabis business permit; Sec. 11-494 treats any violation of the cannabis article as a nuisance per se subject to injunctive relief, permit revocation, disgorgement of proceeds, abatement costs, and attorney fees, and Sec. 11-495 allows prosecution as an infraction or misdemeanor with fines up to $10,000 for a first violation and $15,000 for a second, plus a two-year permit revocation.
Frequently Asked Questions
How far must a cannabis business be from an Oxnard school?
Does the cannabis buffer also cover parks and churches?
What happens if a dispensary is found inside the buffer?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Oxnard
California rules heatmap·Compare Oxnard to another location·View the California cannabis regulations overview
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