Santee, CA Cannabis Regulations: Buffer Zones (2026)

Section 7.04.290(C) layers a citywide buffer on top of the zoning map in subsections A and B. Every cannabis business permittee must stay at least 900 feet from any parcel the City or State law designates a sensitive use, and separately at least 900 feet from any parcel containing a K-12 school (public, private or charter, including preschool and transitional kindergarten), a State-, County- or City-licensed commercial daycare center, a church or other religious institution, or a youth center, measured as of the date the license issues.

The distance itself is defined precisely: a horizontal straight line from the sensitive parcel's property line to the closest property line of the cannabis business's lot. The code's youth-center definition is broad, covering private youth membership clubs, social-service teen club facilities, video arcades with 10 or more game machines where minors may legally do business, similar amusement facilities, and any park, playground or recreational area built for children with installed play equipment, including public athletic grounds for baseball, softball, soccer or basketball on school, City, County or State property.

The definition carves out private martial arts, yoga, ballet, dance, music or art studios, private gyms and athletic training facilities, pizza parlors, dentist and doctor's offices serving children, and administrative offices or youth-program offices, none of which count as a youth center for buffer purposes. Because the buffer runs from every listed sensitive use, a proposed retail or microbusiness site in the GC, IL or IG zones can still fail Section 7.04.290 even if the zoning itself would allow it.