Santa Clara County Title C zoning sharply limits commercial cannabis in unincorporated areas. Most cultivation, manufacturing, and retail must locate in incorporated cities with permissive ordinances like San Jose.
Santa Clara County's Zoning Ordinance under Title C does not authorize commercial cannabis operations as a matter-of-right use in any zone district. State law (BPC §26200) requires local approval for any commercial cannabis activity, and the County has not adopted enabling regulations for storefront retail, microbusinesses, or large cultivation in unincorporated areas. Limited cultivation tied to medicinal collectives may be reviewed under conditional Use Permits in industrial zones. Most Bay Area commercial cannabis activity concentrates in San Jose (which permits dispensaries with caps), Mountain View, and select cities. Property owners considering cannabis-related leases in unincorporated SCC should verify zoning with the Department of Planning and Development.
Operating commercial cannabis in unincorporated SCC without County permits risks zoning enforcement, daily fines under Title A, and loss of state license eligibility per BPC §26200.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
Santa Clara, CA
Santa Clara regulates amplified sound and music through City Code Chapter 9.10, requiring permits for amplified events and prohibiting audible music at 50 fe...
Santa Clara, CA
Santa Clara regulates outdoor music at venues including Levis Stadium and Santana Row under City Code Chapter 9.10 and conditional use permits, with amplifie...
Santa Clara, CA
Santa Clara requires encroachment permits for new driveways, limits driveway width by zoning, and prohibits parking across sidewalks regardless of property o...
Santa Clara, CA
Santa Clara tows abandoned vehicles after 72 hours under CVC 22651(k) and participates in the Santa Clara County Abandoned Vehicle Abatement Program for priv...
Santa Clara, CA
Santa Clara limits recreational vehicle street parking to 72 hours, requires permits for extended street storage, and restricts driveway RV storage under zon...
Santa Clara, CA
Santa Clara fences must meet height, material, setback, and visibility standards under City Code Title 18 Zoning, with special rules for corner lots, histori...
Side-by-side rule comparisons with other cities in Santa Clara County.
See how Santa Clara's commercial cannabis zoning rules stack up against other locations.
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.