Passaic, NJ Cannabis Regulations: Dispensary Zoning (2026)

Under § 317-23E, added by Ord. No. 2296-21 in 2021, a cannabis business is listed as a conditional use in the M-1 and M-2 Zones only, Passaic's industrial districts. Two conditions govern siting: the operator must first hold a licensed "cannabis business" permit under Chapter 232 of the City Code and meet every condition and requirement in that chapter, and no part of the lot may sit within 1,000 feet, measured along the street or highway on which it is located, of a public facility, park, athletic field, or public or private school.

The section adds a carve-out for existing buildings: a cannabis business may also locate in any preexisting industrial use within 1,000 feet, again measured along the street, of an M-1 or M-2 Zone, letting an existing industrial building just outside the mapped zone qualify without a rezoning. Because it is a conditional use rather than a by-right one, every application goes to the Planning Board or Zoning Board of Adjustment for site plan review under Chapter 29, Land Development Procedures, not an administrative sign-off. This zoning track covers Chapter 232's licensed classes, cultivator, manufacturer, wholesaler, distributor and delivery, but Passaic's cannabis ordinance separately states its intent "to prohibit cannabis dispensaries," so retail siting is a different question addressed under Chapter 232 rather than the M-1/M-2 conditional-use list.

Applicants who clear the buffer and zone tests must still obtain the Chapter 232 business permit, a City business license under § 232-16, and Zoning Department certification under § 232-18 before opening, so the zoning approval is only one gate in a multi-step process.