Fresno County, CA Cannabis Regulations: Dispensary Zoning (2026)
Key Facts
- Dispensaries allowed
- None, prohibited in all zone districts
- Governing chapter
- Chapter 10.60, Medical Marijuana
- Enforcement path
- Civil abatement, Ch. 10.62; admin fines, Ch. 10.64
- Adopted
- Ord. No. 15-003, 2-24-2015
Summary
Fresno County bans cannabis dispensaries outright. Chapter 10.60, adopted to preserve public peace and safety, declares that a dispensary is a prohibited use in every zone district in the unincorporated county, with no zone offering a legal path to open one.
It is the purpose and intent of this chapter pursuant to Government Code § 25123(d) to immediately prohibit the large-scale cultivation of medical marijuana in order to preserve the public peace, health, safety and general welfare of the citizens of Fresno County. Additionally, it is the purpose and intent of this chapter to continue in effect Fresno County's prohibition of medical marijuana dispensaries and limitations on places where medical marijuana can be consumed. ... A dispensary is a prohibited use in all zone districts in the county.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 51).
Full Breakdown
010 states the chapter's purpose under Government Code section 25123(d) is to prohibit large-scale medical marijuana cultivation and to continue Fresno County's existing prohibition of medical marijuana dispensaries and limits on where medical marijuana can be consumed. 030 defines a 'dispensary' broadly to include any store-front facility, mobile facility, or delivery service where marijuana is made available, sold, given, distributed, traded, or cultivated for qualified patients or caregivers, carving out only state-licensed clinics, health facilities, and similar licensed care settings. 050 then states flatly that a dispensary is a prohibited use in all zone districts in the county.
64. 080 sets enforcement: a violator is not automatically guilty of a misdemeanor or infraction unless the conduct independently violates state law, but remains subject to abatement and administrative penalties, plus the county's costs and attorney's fees in any civil enforcement suit, with each day of continued violation a separate violation.
Violations & Fines
Operating a dispensary is subject to civil abatement proceedings under Chapter 10.62 and administrative fines under Chapter 10.64 rather than an automatic criminal charge, per Section 10.60.080. The county may also recover its enforcement costs and attorney's fees in any civil suit, and each day the violation continues counts as a separate violation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a cannabis dispensary legally operate in unincorporated Fresno County?
Is cannabis cultivation treated the same as a dispensary?
What penalty does an illegal dispensary face?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Fresno County
California rules heatmap·Compare Fresno County to another location·View the California cannabis regulations overview
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