Pima County, AZ Cannabis Regulations: Buffer Zones (2026)
Key Facts
- Zone
- CB-1 Local Business, unincorporated Pima County
- Dispensary-to-dispensary buffer
- 2,000 feet minimum, § (B)(59)(g)
- School/childcare buffer
- 500 feet minimum, § (B)(59)(h)
- Park/library/treatment facility buffer
- 500 feet minimum, § (B)(59)(i)
- Review process
- Type III conditional use permit
- Cultivation-site buffer
- 1,000 feet from schools, § (B)(60)
Summary
A marijuana dispensary in unincorporated Pima County's CB-1 Local Business zone must sit at least 2,000 feet from any other dispensary and at least 500 feet from a K-12 school, licensed childcare center, public park, library or residential drug treatment facility, measured wall-to-property-line, under Pima County Code § 18.43.030(B)(59)(g)-(i).
g. A marijuana dispensary shall be setback a minimum of 2,000 feet from any other marijuana dispensaries, measured in a straight and direct horizontal line between the two closest exterior or applicable interior suite walls of marijuana dispensaries. h. A marijuana dispensary shall be setback a minimum of 500 feet from a K-12 public, private, or charter school or a licensed childcare center, measured in a straight and direct horizontal line from the closest exterior or applicable interior suite wall of the marijuana dispensary to the closest property line of a school or childcare center. Exception: For the purposes of this section, the following uses are not considered schools and are exempt from the setback requirement: 1) school administrative offices not located on or contiguous with a school site; or, 2) athletic fields or playgrounds used for school functions that are not contiguous with a school site.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-64: Contains Supplement, with local legislation through Ordinance 2026-9, passed 7-28-2026, current through 7-28-2026).
Full Breakdown
030(B)(59). ' Subsection (h) sets the school and childcare buffer: 500 feet from a K-12 public, private or charter school or a licensed childcare center, measured from the closest wall of the dispensary to the closest property line of the school or center. The code carves out two exceptions from the school buffer: administrative offices not located on or contiguous with a school site, and athletic fields or playgrounds not contiguous with a school site. A separate subsection, (i), extends the 500-foot buffer to public parks, libraries and licensed residential drug or alcohol treatment facilities, and subsection (j) applies the same 500-foot school buffer when an existing dispensary expands. 030(D)(4), with mailed notice to property owners within a minimum 300-foot radius, expanded to 1,000 feet for certain residential-zoned neighbors. 030(B)(60).
Violations & Fines
A dispensary sited without meeting the buffer distances of § 18.43.030(B)(59) is operating in violation of the zoning code and subject to enforcement under § 18.95.030 by the chief zoning inspector, with civil penalties under § 18.95.040 running up to $750 per day for an individual or $10,000 per day for a corporation until the violation is corrected. A hearing officer's ruling may be appealed to the Board of Supervisors and then Pima County Superior Court.
Frequently Asked Questions
How far must a Pima County marijuana dispensary be from a school?
Can two marijuana dispensaries operate near each other in unincorporated Pima County?
Does the school buffer apply if a dispensary expands?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Pima County
Compare Pima County to another location·View the Arizona cannabis regulations overview
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