 Pima County revises strict marijuana zoning rules
PIMA COUNTY, August 3, 2022 — The Pima County Board of Supervisors voted 3-2 on August 2 to revise its zoning regulations for marijuana dispensaries and cultivation locations, modifying the strict standards that were introduced more than a decade ago, when only medical marijuana was permitted in Arizona.
Currently, there are no dispensaries, offsite grow or production facilities in unincorporated Pima County. Under the new zoning rules, marijuana businesses have expanded areas where they will be permitted to locate subject to the standards included in the adopted ordinance.
After Arizona voters approved recreational use of marijuana by adults in 2020, Pima County staff proposed changes that would more closely align the County’s dispensary regulations with those of the City of Tucson, said Pima County Development Services deputy director Chris Poirier.
The proposed changes included less restrictive development standards related to setbacks, dimensions and size of dispensaries, as well as increasing the zones in which dispensaries and production facilities can be located.
The Planning and Zoning Commission voted in May to recommend approval of County staff’s proposed changes, but added a requirement for a Type III Conditional Use Permit in commercial and industrial zones. Both proposals were submitted to the Board of Supervisors for consideration. Both recommendations included more zones for dispensaries and opportunities for offsite cultivation location in low density rural areas.
The Board of Supervisors voted to adopt the Planning and Zoning Commission’s version of the revised regulations, which adds a $2,280 application fee, two public hearings, and a four-month minimum time frame to the list of requirements for a marijuana business.
For more information about the revised regulations, please see the agenda item report from the Board of Supervisors’ August 2 meeting.
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