Hillsborough County, FL Cannabis Regulations: Buffer Zones (2026)
Key Facts
- Buffer
- 500 feet from schools
- Applies to
- elementary, middle, secondary schools
- Waiver
- Land Use Hearing Officer review
- Survey
- required within 30 days
Summary
Hillsborough County bars medical marijuana dispensing facilities from locating within 500 feet of any public or private elementary, middle, or secondary school, measured property line to property line, unless the county grants a waiver.
A medical marijuana dispensing facility may not be located within 500 feet of the real property that comprises a public or private elementary school, middle school, or secondary school unless a waiver has been granted pursuant to subsection (F) of this section. Distances required under this subsection shall be measured from property line to property line, along the shortest distance between property lines, without regard to the route of normal travel.
Full Breakdown
Sec. 6.11.127(E) of the Land Development Code prohibits a medical marijuana dispensing facility from locating within 500 feet of any public or private elementary, middle, or secondary school in unincorporated Hillsborough County. The distance is measured property line to property line along the shortest path, ignoring travel routes. An applicant must submit a certified survey from a Florida-registered engineer or surveyor, completed within 30 days of application, showing the distance to the nearest qualifying school. A dispensary that fails the buffer can seek a waiver from the Land Use Hearing Officer under subsection (F), who weighs public health and welfare, unique site circumstances, and whether the need for the distance is negated.
Violations & Fines
Operating within the 500-foot buffer without an approved waiver voids the conditional use approval; the county can deny or revoke the dispensing facility's permit and pursue code enforcement action.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a dispensary get a waiver of the 500-foot buffer?
How is the 500-foot distance measured?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Hillsborough County
Florida rules heatmap·Compare Hillsborough County to another location·View the Florida cannabis regulations overview
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