Commercial Cannabis Activity Zoning Clearance Application

On November 3, 2020, Ventura County voters passed Measure O to allow cultivation of cannabis and ancillary activities in unincorporated Ventura County under certain conditions and standards and with proper permits. In addition to the successful completion of the state licensing process, entities wishing to engage in commercial cannabis cultivation within the county unincorporated area must also obtain two separate county permits: (1) A Cannabis Business License; and, (2) A Land Use/Entitlement Permit (i.e., Zoning Clearance). Both applications, including detailed instructions and step-by-step guidance regarding the Cannabis Business License and Zoning Clearance application processes and requirements can be found at the County Executive Office’s website at: https://www.ventura.org/cannabis/businesslicense.

Applications for a Cannabis Business License are being reviewed and processed by the County Executive Office. Cannabis Business License Applications and application fees should be submitted directly to the County Executive Office a cannabis@ventura.org. Applications for a Commercial Cannabis Activity Zoning Clearance are being reviewed and processed by the County Planning Division and must be submitted directly to the County Planning Division at the following e-mail address: cannabis.rma@ventura.org. The fee for a Commercial Cannabis Activity Zoning Clearance is $2,399 Flat Fee.

1,200-foot Radius Map

The Commercial Cannabis Activity Zoning Clearance Application requires the applicant to provide a 1,200-foot radius map which demonstrates that there are no day care centers, schools, youth centers, drug rehabilitation centers, parks or residential neighborhoods (collectively, “sensitive uses”) within 1,200 feet of the premises (as defined in Section 2701), as measured in a straight line to the property line of the parcel containing a sensitive use. A sample 1,200-foot radius map can be viewed here. County GIS resources are available to assist interested parties in developing custom maps for a fee. If interested, please inquire at GISHELP@ventura.org.

Applicable definitions of the listed sensitive uses are provided in Section 2701 of the Ventura County Ordinance Code and are also provided below:

“Premises” means the designated structure or structures and land specified in the state application that is owned, leased or otherwise held under the control of the applicant where the commercial cannabis activity will be or is conducted.

“School” means an institution of learning for minors, whether public or private, offering a regular course of instruction required by the Education Code, or any preschool facility. This definition includes a nursery school, preschool, kindergarten, elementary school, middle or junior high school, senior high school, or any special institution of education, but it does not include a vocational or professional institution of higher education, including a community or junior college, or day care centers or youth centers.

“Day care center” means licensed infant centers, preschools, extended day care facilities, and school age child care centers, and includes child care centers licensed pursuant to Section 1596.95 of the Health and Safety Code, but does not include family day care homes.

“Youth centers” means any public or licensed private facility that is primarily used to host recreational or social activities for minors, including, but not limited to, private youth membership organizations or clubs, social service teenage club facilities, video arcades, or similar amusement park facilities.

“Drug rehabilitation center” means a state or local agency, a licensed private or nonprofit entity or combination thereof that operates drug abuse rehabilitation programs or offers medical or psychotherapeutic treatment for dependency on psychoactive substances.

“Park” means an area of land used for community recreation owned or operated by a public entity. This definition does not include any state or federal park or forestland.

“Residential neighborhood” means any of the urban residential zones enumerated in section 8104-3 as of March 4, 2020.

Questions?

If you have questions regarding the Commercial Cannabis Activity Zoning Clearance application process, questions should be directed to the County Planning Division at cannabis.rma@ventura.org or by phone at (805) 654-5025.

If you have questions regarding the Cannabis Business License application process, questions should be directed to the County Executive Office at cannabis@ventura.org or by phone at (805) 654-5071.