Los Angeles County officials will hold a public hearing today, October 21, on a proposal that could allow up to 90 licensed marijuana business operations in unincorporated areas of the county, where commercial marijuana businesses are currently prohibited.
The Los Angeles County Regional Planning Commission will consider proposed zoning changes and a final environmental impact report for the county’s Commercial Cannabis Regulatory Program. The hearing is scheduled for 9 a.m. Pacific Time and represents a major step toward establishing a regulated marijuana market in communities that have remained closed to commercial operations despite California’s statewide legalization of recreational marijuana.
Under the county’s published regulatory proposal, the program would establish rules for marijuana retailers, delivery services, cultivation facilities, manufacturers, distributors and testing laboratories. The proposed licensing framework includes a social equity component intended to expand business opportunities for people and communities disproportionately affected by marijuana prohibition.
The county’s program fact sheet outlines a maximum of 25 storefront retail licenses, 25 delivery licenses and 10 licenses each for cultivation, manufacturing, distribution and testing, totaling 90 licenses. Storefront and delivery operations would also face geographic restrictions, including a maximum of five licenses of each type within any supervisorial district.
Additional restrictions would require marijuana businesses to maintain minimum distances from schools, parks, libraries and other youth-oriented locations. Under the proposal, a 600-foot separation requirement would apply to designated sensitive locations, while storefront retailers would generally need to remain at least 500 feet apart.
The commission will also review the program’s environmental impact report, which evaluates potential effects associated with allowing commercial marijuana businesses and identifies measures intended to reduce those impacts.
The county’s Board of Supervisors directed officials in February 2022 to develop a commercial marijuana regulatory program. Since then, the Office of Cannabis Management has conducted public meetings, collected community feedback and prepared the proposed licensing and zoning ordinances.
Today’s hearing was originally scheduled for August 26 before being postponed to October 21. According to the county hearing notice, commissioners will hear a staff presentation, receive public testimony and consider recommendations to the Board of Supervisors.
The commission is reviewing zoning amendments and environmental documents, not the separate business licensing ordinance. Both ordinances will require approval from the Board of Supervisors before the program can take effect.
The hearing will take place at the Hall of Records, 320 W. Temple Street, Room 150, in Los Angeles, with remote participation available through Zoom. The meeting can also be accessed by telephone using meeting ID 858 6032 6429.
The proposed regulations apply only to unincorporated Los Angeles County and would not change marijuana business rules established by individual cities, including the City of Los Angeles.
