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Snohomish County, WA Cannabis Regulations: Buffer Zones (2026)

Some Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Outdoor grow/process setback
50 ft from any property line
Indoor grow/process setback
30 ft from any property line
Retail school buffer
1,000 ft from school grounds
Retail-to-retail spacing (urban)
2,500 feet
Retail-to-retail spacing (rural)
10,000 feet
Tulalip Reservation
All marijuana facilities prohibited

Summary

Marijuana production and processing facilities in unincorporated Snohomish County must sit back from every property line: 50 feet for outdoor grows and 30 feet for indoor facilities, under SCC 30.23.110(28). Marijuana retail stores face a different buffer, staying at least 1,000 feet from the grounds of any primary or secondary school under SCC 30.28.120(1).

City-specific rules exist: Everett, and Lynnwood have their own buffer zones rules that differ from Snohomish County's county-level regulations. If you live in one of those cities, check the city-specific page instead.

(28) Marijuana production and marijuana processing. The minimum setback for outdoor marijuana production or marijuana processing facilities shall be at least 50 feet from any property line. The minimum setback for indoor marijuana production or marijuana processing facilities shall be at least 30 feet from any property line.

View official code

Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through legislation passed August 12, 2026).

Full Breakdown

110(28) sets the special setback for cultivation and processing: the minimum setback for outdoor marijuana production or marijuana processing facilities is at least 50 feet from any property line, and the minimum setback for indoor marijuana production or marijuana processing facilities is at least 30 feet from any property line. That setback applies regardless of what the underlying zone's ordinary building setback requires, and it runs from every property line, not just boundaries facing homes or sensitive uses. 120(1): a retail use shall not be located within 1,000 feet of the perimeter of the grounds of any primary or secondary school or any property owned by a school district and identified in a six-year capital facility plan for construction of a primary or secondary school, which reaches beyond schools that exist today to sites already slated for a future school.

120(2) requires 2,500 feet of separation between retail stores in urban zones and 10,000 feet in rural and resource zones, measured property-line to property-line. 120(2)(a) and (b). 130(131) bars marijuana facilities of every kind outright.

Violations & Fines

Siting a marijuana production, processing, or retail facility inside a required buffer is enforced under the county's general land-use enforcement chapter, SCC 30.85. Planning and Development Services can issue a notice of violation under SCC 30.85.150, with penalties under SCC 30.85.170 starting at $500 for a non-commercial violation or $1,500 for a commercial one, capped at $10,000 or $25,000, in addition to any action the Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board takes against the underlying license.

Frequently Asked Questions

How far must a marijuana grow operation be from a property line?
50 feet if it's grown outdoors, 30 feet if it's entirely indoors, under SCC 30.23.110(28). That setback is specific to marijuana production and processing and applies on top of whatever the underlying zone's ordinary setback already requires, running from every property line rather than just the boundary closest to a neighboring house.
How close can a marijuana retail store be to a school?
It can't be within 1,000 feet of the perimeter of any primary or secondary school's grounds, under SCC 30.28.120(1). That distance also covers school-district property already identified in a six-year capital facility plan for a future school, so a planned but not-yet-built school still counts.
Can two marijuana retail stores open near each other?
Not within 2,500 feet of each other in urban zones, or 10,000 feet in rural and resource zones, under SCC 30.28.120(2). Stores that had a complete license application on file with the state on or before June 21, 2016, or were already operating legally by then, are exempt from that separation requirement.
Do these buffers apply on the Tulalip Reservation?
No, because marijuana facilities aren't allowed there at all. SCC 30.22.130(131) prohibits marijuana-related facilities of any kind within the exterior boundaries of the Tulalip Indian Reservation, so the county's setback and buffer rules never come into play on reservation land regardless of the surrounding zoning.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Snohomish County

Dispensary ZoningSome RestrictionsNoise Ordinances: Aircraft NoiseFew RestrictionsParking Rules: Loading ZonesSignificant RestrictionsParking Rules: Curb Color RulesSome RestrictionsFence Regulations: Neighbor Fence RulesSome RestrictionsFence Regulations: Material RestrictionsSome RestrictionsFence Regulations: Fence Permit RequirementsSome Restrictions

All Snohomish County rules

Compare Snohomish County to another location·View the Washington cannabis regulations overview

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Buffer Zones in Cities Across Snohomish County

Edmonds, WAEverett, WALynnwood, WAMarysville, WA