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Santa Rosa, CA Cannabis Regulations: Dispensary Zoning (2026)

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

Key Facts

Location basis
Zoning Code Tables 2-6 and 2-10, Division 2 districts
Permit required
Conditional Use Permit for Retail/Delivery (Sec. 20-46.080(A))
Drive-through sales
Prohibited citywide (Sec. 20-46.080(C))
Retail hours
9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., 7 days a week
Opt-out status
Santa Rosa has not opted out of cannabis businesses
Enforcing agency
Planning and Economic Development Department

Summary

Santa Rosa has not opted out of commercial cannabis. Retail, cultivation, manufacturing, distribution, microbusiness and testing-lab uses are allowed only in the zoning districts listed on Zoning Code Tables 2-6 and 2-10, and only after the Planning and Economic Development Department approves a Conditional Use Permit under City Code Chapter 20-46. Drive-through and walk-up cannabis sales windows are banned citywide.

Where allowed. Cannabis Businesses (Medical and Adult Use) shall be located in compliance with the requirements of Division 2 (Zoning Districts and Allowable Uses) and as designated on Tables 2-6 and 2-10 of the Zoning Code. With regard to required setbacks of a cannabis business to another land use, the City asserts its right to establish different radius requirements than what is provided by Business and Professions Code Section 26054(b).

Full Breakdown

Chapter 20-46 controls where every category of cannabis business may operate: Commercial Cultivation, Retail (Dispensary) and Delivery, Distribution, Manufacturing Levels 1 and 2, Microbusiness, and Testing Laboratory. 040(B) ties location strictly to Division 2 of the Zoning Code and to Tables 2-6 and 2-10, and the City has expressly reserved the right to set cannabis setback radii that differ from the default in Business and Professions Code Section 26054(b). 080(A), and the application must state whether the operation will include delivery or on-site consumption. 080(C).

050: dual state and local licensing, a security plan with 24-hour camera coverage retained 60 days, a police-permitted alarm system, an odor-mitigation plan certified by a licensed engineer, shielded exterior lighting, and compliance with the City's noise chapter for HVAC equipment. , seven days a week, unless the Planning Commission imposes tighter hours as a condition of approval. Building and annual fire permits under Chapter 18 must be obtained before any cannabis business opens its doors.

Violations & Fines

Operating a cannabis business anywhere in Santa Rosa without an approved land use permit, or outside a district listed on Tables 2-6/2-10, is a Chapter 20-46 violation subject to the same code enforcement and nuisance-abatement remedies as any zoning violation. Under Section 20-46.100, the review authority can modify, suspend or revoke an existing Conditional Use Permit if the business creates a public nuisance, repeated disturbances, illegal drug activity, or violates any City Code provision or permit condition.

Frequently Asked Questions

Has Santa Rosa opted out of allowing cannabis businesses?
No. Santa Rosa Municipal Code Chapter 20-46 affirmatively permits Commercial Cultivation, Retail and Delivery, Distribution, Manufacturing, Microbusiness, and Testing Laboratory cannabis businesses, provided each obtains the land use permit Division 2 of the Zoning Code requires and locates within a zoning district shown on Tables 2-6 and 2-10. The City has not adopted a ban or moratorium on commercial cannabis operations.
Can a cannabis dispensary have a drive-through window?
No. Section 20-46.080(C) states that drive-through or walk-up window services in conjunction with Cannabis Retail are prohibited, so every customer must walk into the storefront to complete a purchase, and the entrance must remain visible from the public right-of-way under Section 20-46.080(D)(5).
What hours can a Santa Rosa dispensary stay open?
Section 20-46.080(F)(4) sets standard retail hours of 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., seven days a week, unless the Planning Commission's review authority imposes stricter hours as a permit condition based on the specific circumstances of the application; any such restriction must be written into the Conditional Use Permit itself.

Sources & Official References

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