TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — On Tuesday, the Pima County Board of Supervisors voted 3-2 to change its zoning laws for marijuana dispensaries and growing sites, changing the restrictions put in place more than a decade ago when only medical marijuana was legal in Arizona.
Unincorporated Pima County currently has no dispensaries, off-site grow or production facilities. Marijuana companies can now move into previously restricted areas under the new zoning laws, subject to the standards included in the approved law.
According to Pima County Development Services Deputy Director Chris Poirier, officials suggested changes that would more closely align the county's dispensary regulations with those of the City of Tucson after Arizona voters legalized recreational marijuana use by adults in 2020.
These proposed changes include the following:
- Restrictive development regulations for setbacks
- Dimensions
- Dispensary size
- Expanding the zones in which dispensaries and manufacturing facilities can operate in
The Planning and Zoning Commission voted in May to recommend approval of the proposed changes, but added a requirement for a Type III Conditional Use Permit in commercial and industrial zones.
Both proposals were presented to the Board of Supervisors for consideration. They included larger dispensary zones and options for off-site production in low-density rural regions.
The Board of Supervisors voted to accept the Planning and Zoning Commission's updated restrictions, which include a $2,280 application fee, two public hearings and a four-month minimum time period for a marijuana operation.
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Bivian Contreras is a real-time editor for KGUN 9. Bivian graduated from the University of Arizona School of Journalism with a Bachelor's degree in Journalism with an emphasis in Broadcast and is currently pursuing a degree in Broadcast Operational Meteorology. Share your story ideas and important issues with Bivian by emailing bivian.contreras@kgun9.com or by connecting on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
