Location and design of cannabis businesses.
Riverside Municipal Code § 5.77.320
in effect5.77.320 - Location and design of cannabis businesses.
A. A cannabis business must meet land use and building standards pursuant to Title 16, Title 17, Title 18, and Title 19 of this Code, including:
1. Conform with the City's general plan, any applicable specific plan, master plan, and design requirements.
2. Comply with all applicable zoning and related development standards.
3. Be constructed in a manner that minimizes odors to surrounding uses.
4. A Storefront Retail Cannabis Business shall not be located on a parcel that is within 1,000 feet of another parcel containing a Storefront Retail Cannabis Business, measured in a straight line from the closest property line of the proposed location to the closest property line of the parcel containing the other Storefront Retail Cannabis Business. In addition, no Storefront Retail Cannabis Business shall be located within 1,000 feet on another Storefront Retail Cannabis Business, measured from entrance to entrance, even if located on the same parcel.
5. The located and design of a Storefront Retail Cannabis Business shall be compatible with a business operating under the Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) rules and regulations rendering an existing ABC business non-compliant.
6. A Storefront Retail Cannabis Business is prohibited from operating within the boundaries of the Downtown and Midtown areas as identified on the following figures.
Figure 5.77.320.A.6-1
[image omitted; see the official code]
Figure 5.77.320.A.6-2
[image omitted; see the official code]
B. A Storefront Retail Cannabis Business must meet the following rules relating to proximity to sensitive uses:
1. The use shall be no closer than 600 or 1,000 feet from any parcel in the City designated as a sensitive use under this section that is in existence at the time the permit is issued.
2. The distance shall be determined by the horizontal distance measured in a straight line from the closest property line of the sensitive use to the closest property line of the lot on which the cannabis business is to be located, without regard to intervening structures.
3. Sensitive uses and corresponding minimum separation distances include:
a. A school providing instruction in kindergarten or any grades 1 through 12, (whether public, private, or charter, including pre-school, transitional kindergarten, and K-12) (1,000 feet).
b. A commercial daycare center licensed by the State, County or City (600 feet).
c. A community center (600 feet).
d. A park (1,000 feet).
4. Exceptions.
a. Pursuant to its authority under California Business and Professions Code Section 26054, the City hereby establishes a zero-foot radius buffer for youth centers for cannabis businesses permitted under this chapter.
b. By establishing a zero-foot buffer, the City has effectively removed the buffer distance requirement for youth centers for cannabis businesses permitted within the City.
c. During the annual Cannabis Business Permit renewal process, a permitted Cannabis Business shall not be deemed non-compliant as a result of sensitive uses that came into existence after the issuance of the Cannabis Business Permit that is being renewed.
C. Exemptions.
1. Commercial Cannabis Businesses other than Storefront Retail shall be required to meet State of California distance requirements of California Business and Professions Code Section 26054, as may be amended from time to time.
(Ord. 7731, § 1(Exh. A), 2025; Ord. 7730, § 4, 2025; Ord. 7628 § 1(Exh. A), 2023)
Source: City of Riverside, California, Municipal Code and City Charter (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/ca/riverside/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=PTIICOOR_TIT5BU_CH5.77CABUAC_5.77.320LODECABUFetched: 11/1/2026