Spokane Valley, WA Cannabis Regulations: Buffer Zones (2026)
Key Facts
- Buffer distance
- 1,000 feet
- Governing section
- SVMC § 19.85.010(A)
- Buffered uses
- Vacant school/library land, City parcels
- RC zone rule
- Indoor cultivation only
- Processing buffer
- Same 1,000 ft, SVMC § 19.85.020
Summary
Spokane Valley keeps licensed marijuana production at least 1,000 feet from vacant school- and library-district land, City-owned parcels, City Hall, and CenterPlace, under SVMC § 19.85.010(A). Production is also restricted to indoor cultivation only inside the Regional Commercial (RC) zone.
A. Marijuana production shall be located or maintained at least 1,000 feet from the nearest property line, measured from the nearest property line of the marijuana production facility to the nearest property line of any one or more of the following uses:
1. Vacant or undeveloped parcels owned by public school districts as established in RCW Title 28A;
2. Vacant or undeveloped parcels owned by public library districts as established in Chapter 27.12 RCW;
3. Vacant or undeveloped parcels leased or owned by the City...
4. a. Any facility or building designated or identified in any document, plan, or program adopted by the council as "Spokane Valley City Hall" or other similar term that identifies such facilities or buildings as the City's primary administrative and legislative location; or
b. CenterPlace.
B. Marijuana production in the RC zone shall only be permitted indoors.
Full Breakdown
12 RCW, vacant or undeveloped parcels leased or owned by the City, and any facility identified as Spokane Valley City Hall or CenterPlace. The buffer specifically targets vacant, undeveloped school and library district land rather than active, developed schools and libraries, so a licensee has to check ownership and development status of nearby parcels, not just what's currently built on them. The City carves out its own stormwater facilities, rights-of-way, and the Appleway Trail from the 'City-owned parcel' category so those don't independently trigger the buffer.
Subsection (B) adds a use restriction on top of the distance rule: in the RC zone, the only zone where new marijuana production is permitted, production is limited to indoor cultivation, closing off any outdoor grow operation regardless of how far it sits from a buffered use. 020(A), so a combined production-and-processing facility has to clear the same 1,000-foot distances for both license types.
Violations & Fines
A marijuana production facility sited inside the 1,000-foot buffer, or running an outdoor grow inside the RC zone in violation of SVMC § 19.85.010(B), is a zoning violation subject to SVMC Chapter 17.100's enforcement process, including a notice and order and civil penalties, and the City can move to suspend or revoke the underlying land use approval on top of any action the Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board takes against the state license.
Frequently Asked Questions
How far must a marijuana grow operation be from a school in Spokane Valley?
Can marijuana be grown outdoors in Spokane Valley?
Does the 1,000-foot buffer apply to marijuana processing too?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Spokane Valley
Compare Spokane Valley to another location·View the Washington cannabis regulations overview
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