Supervisors to Conduct Hearings on New Cannabis Facilities in Unincorporated Areas of County
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- 1 day ago
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The Board of Supervisors of the County of San Diego will conduct two public hearings on the Socially Equitable Cannabis Program. The hearing information is as follows:
Dates: August 19, 2026 and September 2, 2026
Time: 9:00 a.m.
Location: County Administration Center, 1600 Pacific Highway, Room 310, San Diego, California 92101
Subject of Board Hearings
The Socially Equitable Cannabis Program (SECP) would allow for new cannabis facilities in the unincorporated areas of the county, including cultivation, distribution, manufacturing, microbusiness, retail, onsite consumption lounges, temporary cannabis events, and testing laboratories. The SECP was prepared in response to the Board of Supervisors' January 27, 2021 (4) direction to develop amendments to the Zoning Ordinance and County of San Diego Regulatory Code to allow for permitting and licensing of new commercial cannabis uses.
At the August 19, 2026, hearing, the Board is requested to consider amendments to the County Zoning Ordinance and Code of Regulatory Ordinances, related licensing and permitting fees, a Board Policy for enforcement, the Social Equity Ordinance, certify the Final Program Environmental Impact Report, and adopt the associated California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Findings of Fact, Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program, and Statement of Overriding Considerations.
If the Board adopts staff recommendations at the August 19, 2026, hearing, a second reading for adoption of the Code of Regulatory Ordinances, the Social Equity Ordinance, and related licensing and permitting fees on September 2, 2026, would be required.
More information regarding the project can be found on the Project Website.
If you have any questions, please contact Dara Elkurdi in your preferred language at PDS.LongRangePlanning@sdcounty.ca.gov or by phone at (858) 505-6677.
County of San Diego| August 5, 2026
EDITOR'S NOTE: This is the first I've heard of this program yet it's been in process for quite some time. It looks like as early as January 27, 2021.
On September 15, 2023, the County sent public notice that an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) would be prepared for the Socially Equitable Cannabis Program.
CLOSED: NOP Comment Form. This survey has concluded.
CLOSED: This survey has concluded. REGISTRATION CLOSED: Licensing Outreach Recap and Draft EIR Guidance Virtual Meetings. County hosted two virtual meetings, October 23rd and October 29th, 2024. Presentation Slides.
CLOSED: The public meetings have concluded. REGISTRATION CLOSED: Draft EIR Public Comment meetings. Project location is the unincorporated areas of San Diego County. These Presentation Slides show the areas considered (map) and the Zoning Ordinance Amendment.
It appears that the public review period was January 30, 2025 - March 31, 2025.
Current locations of Cannabis Facilities are shown below:
The County has an entire webpage on this topic and it goes deep.
I also made a trip to the Bonita-Sunnyside Library to see if they had an area to look at County documents. In the past, I was informed that "they used to" but didn't know what had happened to it.
I found the area in an alcove on the left as you enter the front library doors. Rather, the clerk directed me to it. It has no markings or identification as to what might be there.
It had County documents in six of the cubbies. The comments and details of this project may be found on the far left, top and second shelf. The documentation had an end date of March 2025 so the clerk was discussing shredding it. I asked him to leave it in place until after the final September 2, 2026 vote at the Board of Supervisors meeting. Since there is plenty of room, it would be nice to have an archive of all County documents at the library.
Currently, it's a pretty pathetic display of County interacting with residents.
When I wrote Coronado Common Sense, the Coronado library had a table stacked high with documents where you could sit comfortably and peruse the information. That's where I found (hidden) the final documentation that allowed me to shut down the tunnel in one day after months of research and writing.
They spent millions of dollars on the Coronado Tunnel that was to run from the Coronado Bridge to Naval Air Station North Island. The Navy didn't want it and said it would be dangerous to use (car bombs and the like). It really had no purpose but officials and their families had been put on the payroll and who wants to cut off free money?
They had neglected to inform residents along Third Avenue that they'd be destroying half of their homes (leaving only a bedroom and bath, or maybe a kitchen and den) in order to widen the road and then imminent domain-ing them all at a much lower selling price. That's the hidden document I found in the pile. I wasn't sure what I was looking at. When I called the City clerks about it, they said it was nothing and to ignore it. But I heard the fear in their voices. I looked at it more carefully and realized what I had in my hand.
Governments do stuff like that when you're not paying attention. You know . . . for the greater good of the government and let the citizen be damned.
That's why a County document depot is so important. A lot of stuff is online if you can locate it but not everyone has access to a computer or understands how to delve down and find things.
It appears that the County has their eye on Lincoln Acres and Twin Oaks and areas like such. Or at least those people in those areas are really pushing back. Bonita-Sunnyside could still be surprised with one of these facilities and is not entirely out of the woods. Be sure to keep your eye on the ball and speak up!
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