Sandoval County, NM Cannabis Regulations: Buffer Zones (2026)

Section 8-65 of the Sandoval County Code, part of the Tobacco and Cannabis Retailer Ordinance, sets two distinct distance rules for cannabis retail. ' That buffer stacks with subsection (a)'s separate 500-foot spacing requirement between any two tobacco or cannabis retailers, so a proposed dispensary has to clear both distances before it can open. The ordinance grandfathers existing operators: subsection (c) states 'this requirement shall not apply to a tobacco retailer or cannabis retailer that was established prior to the effective date of the ordinance codified in this article,' which took effect September 2, 2021 under Ordinance No.

9. A retailer that cannot meet the 300-foot school buffer on a new site is not automatically barred; § 8-67 lets it apply to the planning and zoning director for a variance by showing the strict distance requirement would create a practical difficulty or unnecessary hardship, using the same variance procedure that applies under the county's zoning ordinance. Denials of a buffer variance can be appealed through the review process under § 8-68.