El Paso County, CO Cannabis Regulations: Dispensary Zoning (2026)

Cannabis retail in El Paso County is a patchwork. Colorado Springs voters approved recreational retail via Question 300 in November 2022 — the city transitioned its 100+ existing medical dispensaries to dual medical/recreational licensing starting April 2024. CSCC Chapter 2.10 governs retail marijuana: permitted in C-5, C-6, M-1, and M-2 zones with Conditional Use Permit, 1,000-ft buffer from K-12 schools, 500-ft buffer from addiction treatment facilities and child care centers, and 500-ft buffer from other retail cannabis businesses. Security requirements: 24-hour surveillance, alarm systems, ID-verified entry, seed-to-sale tracking via METRC. Hours limited to 8 AM-10 PM. Signage must comply with CSCC §7.4.310 — no cartoon imagery, no youth-targeted marketing, exterior signage limited. El Paso County unincorporated Board of County Commissioners voted to prohibit all retail cannabis (medical and recreational) within unincorporated county — a conservative political stance reflecting the county's military and evangelical demographics. Manitou Springs allowed recreational retail early (Maggie's Farm since 2014) — a distinctive anomaly in the otherwise-conservative county. Fountain and Monument also ban retail. Palmer Lake bans retail. USAFA, Peterson, Schriever, and Fort Carson federally prohibit all cannabis. Social equity licensing encouraged under state SB 21-111.