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Colorado Springs, CO Cannabis Regulations: Dispensary Zoning (2026)

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

Key Facts

MMJ residential ban
§ 7.3.303F.2.a, except home cultivation
RMJ residential ban
no exceptions
Outdoor grow
prohibited citywide
On-site consumption at MMJ
prohibited
Licenses required
local + state MMJ and Sales Tax licenses

Summary

Colorado Springs zoning keeps marijuana businesses out of residential territory: City Code § 7.3.303F.2.a bars Medical Marijuana (MMJ) Facilities from any residential zone district or dwelling unit except for the separately regulated home-cultivation accessory use, and bars Retail Marijuana (RMJ) Facilities from residential zones and dwelling units with no exception at all.

2. General Standards: a. An MMJ Facility is prohibited within a residential zone district or dwelling unit except as allowed by Subsection 7.3.304J (Marijuana, Home Cultivation, Accessory), and RMJ Facilities are prohibited within residential zone districts or dwelling units. b. An MMJ Facility shall hold valid local and state medical marijuana business licenses and local and state Sales Tax licenses, as applicable. c. On-premises use, consumption, ingestion, or inhalation within an MMJ Facility is prohibited.

View official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-21: Code current through: Ord. 26-23, passed June 9, 2026).

Full Breakdown

303F, Marijuana-Related Services, under General Standards. 304J. RMJ Facilities get no such carve-out, they are barred from residential zones and dwelling units outright. The same subsection layers on operating conditions for any MMJ Facility that does locate in an eligible commercial or industrial district: it must hold valid local and state medical marijuana business licenses along with local and state Sales Tax licenses, must install and maintain a ventilation and filtration system so odors are not detectible by someone with a typical sense of smell from any neighboring lot or building, and must prohibit any on-premises use, consumption, ingestion, or inhalation of marijuana.

Elsewhere in the same section, the UDC bans outdoor retail and medical marijuana grow facilities citywide, regardless of zone district, meaning all cultivation, wherever it is permitted, must happen inside a fully enclosed building.

Violations & Fines

Operating an MMJ or RMJ Facility inside a residential zone district or dwelling unit is an unlawful, non-permitted use under the UDC, subject to code enforcement action. Allowing on-premises consumption at an MMJ Facility, running an unventilated facility, or operating an outdoor grow are each independent violations of § 7.3.303F standards that put the location's zoning compliance and business license at risk.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I open a marijuana dispensary in a Colorado Springs house or apartment?
No. Section 7.3.303F.2.a prohibits Retail Marijuana Facilities in any residential zone district or dwelling unit with no exceptions, and it bars Medical Marijuana Facilities from the same locations except for the narrow home-cultivation accessory use under § 7.3.304J.
Can customers consume marijuana at a Colorado Springs dispensary?
No, § 7.3.303F.2.c prohibits on-premises use, consumption, ingestion, or inhalation of marijuana at any Medical Marijuana Facility, so dispensaries function strictly as sale points, not consumption lounges.
Are outdoor marijuana grow operations legal in Colorado Springs?
No. Section 7.3.303F.1.c bans outdoor retail and medical marijuana grow facilities citywide; all cultivation must occur inside a fully enclosed building regardless of the zone district it is located in.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Colorado Springs

Animal Ordinances: Dog Leash LawsSome RestrictionsFence Regulations: Height LimitsLight RestrictionsBuffer ZonesSignificant RestrictionsHome CultivationSome RestrictionsParking Rules: Driveway RulesSome RestrictionsParking Rules: Curb Color RulesSome RestrictionsParking Rules: Loading ZonesSome RestrictionsParking Rules: Commercial & Oversized VehiclesSignificant Restrictions

All Colorado Springs rules

Compare Colorado Springs to another location·View the Colorado cannabis regulations overview

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