Zoned Out

The city of Los Angeles recently released proposed zoning rules and a color-coded map that would define where commercial cannabis locations can operate in the city. Cannabis advocates in Los Angeles fought hard for more permissive buffer zones, which would have allowed for more suitable locations for cannabis shops, but they lost in the end. The Los Angeles Planning Commission settled on 800-foot buffer zones around schools, parks, libraries and competing commercial cannabis locations. The buffers are 200 feet more than the default 600-foot buffer zones set forth under state law.

“The Commercial Cannabis Location Restriction Ordinance is one component of a larger regulatory structure governing commercial cannabis activity in the City.”

On September 14, the Los Angeles Planning Commission approved an ordinance, the Commercial Cannabis Location Restriction Ordinance, to set zoning and land-use regulations with a 6-0 vote. Article 5 was added to Chapter X of the Los Angeles Municipal Code to set up zoning guidelines. The zoning ordinance is one step towards implementing Measure M, which regulates cannabis businesses in Los Angeles. “The Commercial Cannabis Location Restriction Ordinance is one component of a larger regulatory structure governing commercial cannabis activity in the City,” the Department of City Planning wrote. “This draft ordinance is limited in scope to location restriction of specific types of commercial cannabis activity.”

Under the proposed ordinance, property lines of retail cannabis shops would be required to be located at least 800 feet from parks, libraries, drug rehabilitation centers and other retail cannabis shops—that’s 200 feet more than the state of California is asking. Statewide, buffer zones are required to be at least 600 feet.

A color-coded map illustrates which areas in Los Angeles are acceptable for cannabis businesses. Commercial areas that are suitable for commercial cannabis locations are hot pink. Industrial areas that are suitable for the locations are blue. The majority of areas in general are blotted out with grey circles that represent areas near schools and other prohibited areas.

Eventually Measure M will replace 2013’s Proposition D, which limited the number of medical cannabis dispensaries in Los Angeles to 135 locations that began operating prior to September 14, 2007. The commission also recommended grandfathering Proposition D-compliant businesses in order to keep them at their current locations. Proposition D granted those dispensaries limited immunity from prosecution.

One of the main purposes of the ordinance is to prevent cannabis districts with concentrations of the same kind of business. Beyond dispensary limits, the ordinance also sets up commercial and industrial zones for indoor cultivation, distribution and manufacturing operations.

“The ordinance, Commercial Cannabis Location Restriction Ordinance, needs to be heard before the Rules, Elections and Intergovernmental Relations Committee,” Cheryl Getuiza, public information officer for the Department of City Planning told CULTURE. “Council President Herb Wesson is the Chair. The City Council will vote on it after it reaches Committee.” On September 25, the Rules, Elections, and Intergovernmental Relations Committee did indeed OK the proposed ordinance.

The proposed zoning rules now head to the Los Angeles City Council after committee review. In addition, more batches of operational requirements to fulfill Measure M are expected to move through committees.