California Business and Professions Code §26054 prohibits cannabis licensees within 600 feet of schools, daycares, and youth centers. Santa Clara County Title C zoning may impose larger buffers in unincorporated areas.
Business and Professions Code §26054(b) bars Department of Cannabis Control from licensing premises within 600 feet of K-12 schools, day-care centers, or youth centers existing at time of license application. Distance measured property line to property line. Local jurisdictions may set larger buffers but not smaller. Santa Clara County zoning regulations under Title C address commercial cannabis through Use Permits restricting locations to industrial zones, often with expanded sensitive-use buffers (1,000 feet typical for parks, libraries, treatment centers). Cities like San Jose impose their own buffer overlays. New schools opening near existing licensees do not retroactively invalidate licenses. Buffer violations during licensing block approval.
Locating within prohibited buffer voids state license eligibility. Operating despite denial risks BPC §26038 fines, lease forfeiture, and unfair-competition civil actions.
See how Palo Alto's buffer zones rules stack up against other locations.
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