Farmers’ Markets
San Diego Municipal Code § 141.0503
in effect§141.0503 Farmers’ Markets
Farmers’ markets are outdoor establishments where farmers and other vendors sell produce and other goods directly to consumers and where vendors selling farm produce comprise at least 50 percent of the vendors. A farmers’ market may be either a weekly farmers market or a daily farmers market stand. Weekly farmers’ markets conducted on public property are not subject to this section. Farmers’ markets are permitted as a limited use in the zones indicated with an “L” in the Use Regulations Tables in Chapter 13, Article 1 (Base Zones) subject to the following regulations.
(a) Weekly farmers’ markets on private property shall comply with the following:
(1) Written permission of the property owner to conduct the weekly farmers’ market shall be available to City of San Diego staff and officials upon request;
(2) A farmers’ market shall be limited to one event per week per location;
(3) No parking shall be required; however, any parking reserved for handicapped access impacted by the farmers’ market shall be temporarily relocated to a handicapped accessible location during the hours of the farmers market;
(4) Access to all building entryways and all disabled access routes shall be maintained; and
(5) One restroom per 250 persons shall be available.
(b) Daily farmers’ market stands shall comply with the following:
(1) Daily farmers’ market stands may operate seven days per week at a given location;
(2) Outdoor display areas shall comply with Section 142.1130 (Outdoor Display Regulations for Commercial Zones);
(3) No parking shall be required;
(4) Sales shall be limited to the sale of unprocessed, non-value added crops;
(5) A daily farmers’ market stand shall occupy an area no greater than five feet in depth and sixteen feet in length per commercial frontage; and
(6) No required parking shall be displaced.
(c) Daily farmers’ market stands on private property shall obtain written permission of the property owner to conduct the daily farmers’ market and shall make such written permission available to City of San Diego staff and officials upon request, in addition to the requirements of Section 141.0503(b)(1) through 141.0503(b)(6).
(d) Daily farmers’ market stands located in the public right-of-way, between the curb and fronting property line, shall comply with the following in addition to the requirements of Section 141.0503(b)(1) through 141.0503(b)(6):
(1) Written permission of the fronting property owner to conduct the daily farmers’ market shall be available to City of San Diego staff and officials upon request;
(2) A Certificate of Insurance for a Public Liability Insurance Policy of at least $500,000 in a form acceptable to the City Engineer and naming the City as an additional insured shall be required to be maintained at all times; and
(3) The location of the daily farmers’ market stand shall comply with the following:
(A) A minimum 4-foot wide clear path of sidewalk shall be maintained within the public right-of-way at all times;
(B) Access to adjacent uses shall be maintained at all times;
(C) The daily farmers’ market stand shall be located as close as feasible to the fronting property; and
(D) The daily farmers’ market stand shall not be located parallel to loading areas, transit stops, taxi zones, or areas designated for pedestrian loading and unloading.
(“Plant Nurseries” added 12-9-1997 by O-18451 N.S.; effective 1-1-2000.) (“Farmers’ Markets” added 2-22-2012 by O-20141 N.S.; effective 3-23-2012. Former Section “Plant Nurseries” renumbered to Section 141.0504.) §§141.0504 Cannabis Outlets
Cannabis outlets that are consistent with the requirements for retailer or dispensary license requirements in the California Business and Professions Code may be permitted with a Conditional Use Permit decided in accordance with Process Three in the zones indicated with a “C” in the Use Regulations Tables in Chapter 13, Article 1 (Base Zones). No more than four cannabis outlets are permitted in each City Council District except that any permitted cannabis outlet that changes City Council District as a result of redistricting may remain at its originally permitted location for the duration of its permit, regardless of the number of permitted cannabis outlets within the new City Council District boundary, and subject to continued compliance with Section 141.0504. Cannabis outlets are subject to the following regulations.
(a) Cannabis outlets shall maintain the following minimum separation:
(1) 1,000 feet from resource and population-based city parks, other cannabis outlets, churches, child care centers, playgrounds, libraries owned and operated by the City of San Diego, minor-oriented facilities, residential care facilities, and schools. For purposes of this section, school means any public or private institution of learning providing instruction in kindergarten or grades 1 to 12, inclusive, but does not include any private school in which education is primarily conducted in private homes. The distance shall be measured between the property lines, in accordance with Section 113.0225.
(2) 100 feet from the property line of a residentially zoned lot or premises. The distance shall be measured horizontally in a straight line between the two closest points of the property lines without regard to topography or structures that would interfere with a straight-line measurement.
(b) Lighting shall be provided to illuminate the interior, facade, and the immediate surrounding area of the cannabis outlet, including any accessory uses, parking lots, and adjoining sidewalks. Lighting shall be hooded or oriented to deflect light away from adjacent properties.
(c) Security shall be provided at the cannabis outlet which shall include operable cameras, alarms, and a security guard. The security guard shall be licensed by the State of California and be present on the premises during business hours. The security guard shall only be engaged in activities related to providing security for the facility, except on an incidental basis.
(d) Primary signs shall be posted on the outside of the cannabis outlet and shall only contain the name of the business, which shall contain only alphabetic characters, and shall be limited to two colors. Secondary signs advertising cannabis, window signs and any display visible from the public right-of-way are not permitted. The use of the cannabis leaf symbol is prohibited on any sign.
(e) The name and emergency contact phone number of the designated responsible managing operator shall be posted in a location visible from outside the cannabis outlet in character size at least two inches in height.
(f) The cannabis outlet shall operate only between the hours of 6:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m., seven days a week.
(g) The use of vending machines which allow access to cannabis and cannabis products except by a responsible person, as defined in San Diego Municipal Code Section 42.1502, is prohibited. For purposes of this Section, a vending machine is any device which allows access to cannabis and cannabis products without a human intermediary.
(h) A permit shall be obtained as required pursuant to Chapter 4, Article 2, Division 15.
(i) A Conditional Use Permit for a cannabis outlet shall expire no later than five years from the date of issuance.
(j) Deliveries shall be permitted as an accessory use only from cannabis outlets with a valid Conditional Use Permit unless otherwise allowed pursuant to state law.
(k) The cannabis outlet, adjacent public sidewalks, and areas under the control of the cannabis outlet, shall be maintained free of litter and graffiti at all times.
(l) The cannabis outlet shall provide daily removal of trash, litter, and debris. Graffiti shall be removed from the premises within 24 hours.
(m) Consultations by medical professionals shall not be a permitted accessory use at a cannabis outlet.
(n) A Conditional Use Permit for a cannabis outlet or medical marijuana consumer cooperative as defined in O-20356 converting to a cannabis outlet, may be amended in accordance with a Process Two decision as described in Section 112.0503, subject to this Section 141.0504(n).
(1) The separation requirements in Section 141.0504(a) shall not be considered in making the findings required for amendments processed in accordance with Section 141.0504(n).
(2) A change in zoning or change in Council District as a result of redistricting after the approval date of the current Conditional Use Permit shall not be considered in making the findings required for amendments processed in accordance with Section 141.0504(n).
(3) The cannabis outlet or medical marijuana consumer cooperative shall be subject to Section 141.0504(a) if expanded beyond the premises identified in the current Conditional Use Permit.
(4) A Conditional Use Permit for a cannabis outlet or medical marijuana consumer cooperative may be amended one or more times as follows:
(A) An application for an amendment may include a request to extend the expiration date for a period not to exceed five years.
(B) An amendment application to extend the expiration date of a Conditional Use Permit must be submitted and deemed complete prior to the Conditional Use Permit expiration date. The Conditional Use Permit shall automatically be extended until a decision on the amendment request is final, and all available administrative appeals of the project decision have been exhausted. This automatic extension does not apply to development permit applications that are closed in accordance with Section 126.0115.
(“Marijuana Outlets” added 2-22-2017 by O-20793 N.S.; effective 4-12-2017. Former Section 141.0504 “Plant Nurseries” renumbered to Section 141.0505.) (Retitled from “Marijuana Outlets” to “Cannabis Outlets” and amended 1-8-2020 by O-21163 N.S.; effective 2-9-2020.) (Amended 7-30-2020 by O-21221 N.S.; effective 8-29-2020.) (Amended 12-14-2022 by O-21591 N.S.; effective 2-2-2023.) (Amended 7-18-2025 by O-21985 N.S.; effective 8-17-2025.)
[Editors Note: Amendments as adopted by O-21985 N.S. will not apply within the Coastal Overlay Zone until the California Coastal Commission certifies it as a Local Coastal Program Amendment. Click the link to view the Strikeout Ordinance highlighting changes to prior language http://docs.sandiego.gov/municode_strikeout_ord/O-21985-SO.pdf]
(Amended 6-15-2026 by O-22109 N.S.; effective 7-15-2026.) [Editors Note: Amendments as adopted by O-22109 N.S. will not apply within the Coastal Overlay Zone until the California Coastal Commission certifies it as a Local Coastal Program Amendment. Click the link to view the Strikeout Ordinance highlighting changes to prior language http://docs.sandiego.gov/municode_strikeout_ord/O-22109-SO.pdf ]
Source: City of San Diego Office of the City Clerk, San Diego Municipal Code and City Charter (docs.sandiego.gov PDFs)URL: https://docs.sandiego.gov/municode/MuniCodeChapter14/Ch14Art01Division05.pdf#page=7Fetched: 10/28/2026