Auburn, WA Cannabis Regulations: Dispensary Zoning (2026)
Key Facts
- Citywide retail store cap
- 4 stores maximum
- Retailer-to-retailer separation
- 1 mile minimum
- Buffer from residential zoning
- 1,320 feet minimum
- Buffer from schools/parks/arcades
- 2,640 feet
- Outdoor cultivation
- Prohibited in all instances
Summary
Auburn caps marijuana retail stores at four citywide, requires them to sit at least one mile apart, at least 1,320 feet from residential-zoned land, and up to 2,640 feet from schools and similar uses under Chapter 18.59 ACC.
18.59.020 Maximum number of marijuana retail businesses. The total maximum number of marijuana retail businesses operating within the city at any given time shall be limited to a maximum of four properly licensed and permitted stores. ... 18.59.030 Required geographic separation. ... A. A marijuana retailer authorized by the Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board and the city to operate within the city shall be sited a minimum of one mile from another similarly authorized marijuana business. B. A marijuana retailer business shall be sited a minimum of 1,320 feet from any properties zoned and utilized for single-family residential or multifamily residential land uses.
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 7023, passed July 6, 2026).
Full Breakdown
020 sets the ceiling directly: 'The total maximum number of marijuana retail businesses operating within the city at any given time shall be limited to a maximum of four properly licensed and permitted stores,' layered on top of whatever numeric allowance the Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board separately sets. 2). All distances are measured as the shortest straight line between property or right-of-way lines under subsection D. 060).
Violations & Fines
Operating a marijuana retail store beyond the four-store citywide cap, within one mile of another retailer, within 1,320 feet of residential zoning, or within the 2,640/1,320-foot buffers around schools, parks and similar uses violates ACC 18.59.020/18.59.030 and can result in denial or revocation of the city's business license and land use approval, on top of any state licensing action by the Liquor and Cannabis Board.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many marijuana retail stores can operate in Auburn at once?
How far must a marijuana retailer be from a residential zone in Auburn?
Can marijuana be grown outdoors by a licensed business in Auburn?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Auburn
Compare Auburn to another location·View the Washington cannabis regulations overview
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Dispensary Zoning in Nearby Cities
How other cities in King County handle dispensary zoning.