Cannabis Facilities

Recent Changes

The Pre-Application period for Cannabis Facilities will be open September 15, 2020-October 15, 2020

To submit a Pre-Application for cultivation, processing, manufacturing, distribution, testing, or retail sales of cannabis, please click on the links below:

License Type	Cultivation	Manufacturing	Distribution	Processing	Retail	Testing	Non-storefront delivery*
# open market	0	14	1	1	2	Unlimited	6
# equity set-aside	1	1	1	1	1	1	1

* Non-storefront delivery permits may only be obtained as an add-on permit to a permitted cultivation, manufacturing, or processing facility in good standing within the City of Watsonville.

On June 23, 2020, the Watsonville City Council adopted revisions to Watsonville Municipal Code Chapter 14-53 (Cannabis Facilities). These changes became effective on July 23, 2020. The major changes in the ordinance are outlined below:

Cannabis Businesses Regulated:

6 cultivation permits (up to 22,000 sf, indoor)
15 manufacturing permits
3 processing permits
3 retail dispensary permits
2 distribution permits
Testing permits
Up to 7 non-storefront delivery permits for cultivator/manufacturer/processers

Cannabis businesses may be located on up to 2 parcels with 1 permit:

In order to allow existing businesses to expand, all cannabis businesses may apply for a secondary permit on a second parcel in the City. For businesses that propose expansion onto a second parcel with the same ownership structure, a Minor Modification Permit shall be required. For businesses that propose a modified business structure for the second location, an Administrative Use Permit shall be required and all new owners/investors must submit to a background check.

Modification of Separation Requirements

Separation Requirements
	Cultivation	Manufacture	Distribution	Testing	Retail
School (K-12)*	600'	600'	600'	600'	600'
Park	600'	600'	600'		600'
Residential zone	250'	250'	250'		250'
Legal residential use	100'	100'	100'		100'
Faith based facility, licensed daycare, preschool or library	600'	600'	600'		600'

* Separation distance from K-12 schools shall be measured from property line to property line. Separation distance for cultivation facilities shall be measured from parcel line of sensitive use to nearest wall of cultivation facility. Separation distance for all other cannabis facilities shall be measured by path of travel from nearest parcel line of sensitive use to the front door of the facility. Separation distance from K-12 schools shall be measured from property line to property line.

Distance is measured in 3 ways:

For all facilities, property line to property line measurement from schools
For cultivation, property line of sensitive use to nearest wall of cannabis facility
For all other cannabis facilities, path of travel from sensitive use to main door of the cannabis facility

Multiple licenses allowed per parcel
The previous ordinance allowed only 1 licensee per parcel. The revised ordinance allows multiple licenses on one parcel.

Background checks for employees no longer required
Background checks are required for owners and managers of the cannabis business only.

Allowable Zoning Districts

Class	Use	IP	IG	CO	CV
1A	Cultivation, indoor, up to 5,000 sf	SUP	SUP	X	X
2A	Cultivation, indoor, up to 10,000 sf	SUP	SUP	X	X
3A	Indoor, between 10,001 and 22,000 sf	SUP	SUP	X	X
6	Manufacturer 1, for products not using volatile solvents	AUP	AUP	X	X
7	Manufacturer 2, for products using volatile solvents	AUP	AUP	X	X
8	Testing	AUP	AUP	AUP	X
9	Non-storefront delivery	AUP	AUP	X	X
10	Retail, general	SUP	SUP	X	SUP
11	Distribution	AUP	AUP	X	X
	Processing	AUP	AUP	X	X