Subject: 1:30 P.M. - PUBLIC HEARING - Consideration of Draft Ordinance to Amend Chapter 21, Articles 8, 18, 19 and 27 regarding Commercial Cannabis Regulation
Executive Summary: The Board has discussed and given direction on Article 27 amendments on March 10, April 7, June 2, and June 23, 2026. The item was continued to allow for time to work with Supervisor Owen on her questions, and update the draft ordinance with a few wordsmithing amendments. The addition of a definition of Farmland Protection Zone and changing from permitted zoning district to the application of cannabis overlay districts have been added to the Article 73 list below.
Some Board requests are reflected in the attached Ordinance (Attachment 1); while other requests have been reserved for consideration in the upcoming Article 73 draft and are listed below. The proposed amendments to cannabis-related land uses require amendments to Articles 8, 18, 19, and 27 of the Zoning Code, summarized in the attached Table (Attachments 2, 3, 4, and 5) Lake County Zoning Code Article 27 is an extensive document, regulating various land uses, including commercial cannabis. For ease of review, the redlined version of Article 27 is an excerpt of the pages relating to commercial cannabis (Attachment 6). The maps of “FPZ” Farmland Protection Zone boundaries are also included as Attachment 7, for the Board’s convenience.
Article 27 - Proposed Amendments
• Setback from hemp
• Removal of commercial cannabis cultivation from “SR” Suburban Reserve zoning district
• Cannabis Retail - permitting requirements
• Maximum canopy
• Applicant and Property Owner Identification and Background Check
• Background check review - responsible department
• Operating hours
• Opt Out and Reduced Canopy guidelines
• Removal of 10-year permit expiration and renewal requirements
• Setbacks from off-site residences
• Incomplete, Inactive and Abandoned applications
• Surety Bond
• Additional restrictions for greenhouses
• Commercial cannabis exclusion areas
• Buffer from “FPZ” Farmland Protection Zone
• Anchor point foundations in “FPZ”
• Riparian setbacks
• Annual Performance Reports - review
• Public access to Annual Performance Reports and Inspection Reports
• Adding Type 5 cultivation use permit
• Reduction in frequency of compliance site monitoring visits
• Staff measurement of cannabis canopy
Article 73 - Items from Previous Board Discussions
• Regulations for Retail
• Regulating Density of Retail Permits
• Hydrology Reports - Standard Requirements
• Regulation/Fine/Citation for water overuse
• Update Farmland Protection Zone Guidelines for future boundary amendments
• Add definition of Farmland Protection Zone
• Odor - Prohibition on Mixed Light/Indoor
• Water Board Notice of Applicability - Modify/Remove Deadline
• Synchronize Landscaping Requirement with State Fire Codes
• Opt Out - options to avoid expiration
• Options to permanently reduce total approved canopy
• Fines/citations for late submission of Compliance Review Report and/or fee payment
• Add Volatile Manufacturing as Use in “M1” Commercial and Manufacturing Zoning District
• Application: Consequence for active warrants for applicants and/or property owners
• Review regulations for possible areas of overreach
• Consider change from permitting zoning districts to cannabis overlay and cannabis exclusion overlay districts