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County Administrator's Office

Sonoma County Cannabis Program

Nurseries

Sonoma County Cannabis Program 750

Required Permits and Inspections

Cannabis nurseries are establishments that produce only clones, immature plants, and seeds for wholesale distribution to permitted cultivators and dispensaries. Those interested in operating a cannabis nursery will require the following:

Cannabis Land Use Permit

Indoor and Mixed Light Zoning Permits

Outdoor Zoning Permits – Up to and Including 10,000 Square Feet

  • The Department of Agriculture/Weights and Measures issues outdoor cottage permits in the agricultural zones (Land Intensive Agriculture or LIA, Land Extensive Agriculture or LEA, and Diverse Agriculture or DA) and outdoor grows up to 10,000 square feet in the LEA and DA. Zoning permits are ministerial and will be issued once it can be verified that the operation meets all the standards within the ordinance.

    See Cannabis Permits from Agriculture, Weights & Measures

Outdoor Use Permits – 10,001 Square Feet or More

  • A use permit is a discretionary permit and Permit Sonoma will review each application and condition on a case-by-case basis. Each permit is subject to public notification and environmental review. A minor use permit may be approved administratively without a public hearing if one is not requested by the public.

    Application: Cannabis Cultivation Permit Application PJR-123

Building, Well and Septic Permits

 As applicable, from Permit Sonoma

Trip Generation Form

 As applicable, from Permit Sonoma

Fire Review and Inspection

  • Fire and Emergency Services will review all nursery permit applications and be responsible for inspecting and monitoring for compliance.

Nursery Inspection

  • The Department of Agriculture/Weights and Measures is responsible for inspecting all nurseries, including cannabis nurseries.

Business or Operator Requirements

The following is true for all cannabis permits:

  1. Operators and employees must be at least 21 years of age
  2. Operators shall be subject to background searches
  3. Local hiring preference for business
  4. Compliance with occupational safety requirements (Cal/OSHA, wage and hour laws, etc)

Ongoing - Operational Requirements

  1. Annual permit requirement
  2. Annual inspections required