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§ 5.03

5.03.358 Regulation of the Use of Personal, Medical, and Commercial Marijuana.

Colma Zoning Code · 2026-06 edition · updated 2026-07-08 · Colma

(a) Purpose. The purpose of this Section is to regulate personal, medical, and commercial

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marijuana uses. Nothing in this Section shall preempt or make inapplicable any provision of state or federal law.

(b) Personal Use.

(1) For purposes of this subsection, personal recreational use, possession, purchase, transport, or dissemination of marijuana shall be considered unlawful in all areas of the Town to the extent it is unlawful under California law.

(2) Outdoor Cultivation. A person may not plant, cultivate, harvest, dry, or process marijuana plants outdoors in any zoning district of the Town. No use permit, building variance, or any other permit or entitlement, whether administrative or discretionary, shall be approved or issued for any such use or activity.

(3) Indoor Cultivation.

(i) A person may not plant, cultivate, harvest, dry, or process marijuana plants inside a private residence, or inside an accessory structure to a private residence located upon the grounds of a private residence, or inside any other enclosed structure within any zoning district of the Town. No use permit, building permit, variance, or any other permit or entitlement, whether administrative or discretionary, shall be approved or issued for any such use or activity.

(ii) To the extent a complete prohibition on indoor cultivation is not permitted under California law, a person may not plant, cultivate, harvest, dry, or process marijuana plants inside a private residence, or inside an accessory structure to a private residence located upon the grounds of a private residence, unless the person is issued an indoor cultivation permit by the Planning Department. A person may not plant, cultivate, harvest, dry or process marijuana plants inside any enclosed structure within any zoning district of the Town which is not either a private residence or an accessory structure to a private residence located upon the grounds of a private residence.

(iii) The Planning Department will issue application and processing guidelines for the indoor cultivation permit. No indoor cultivation permit shall be issued prior to the release of these guidelines, and no permit shall be granted which has not complied fully with the application and processing requirements.

(c)

Medical Use.

(1) Cultivation of medical marijuana pursuant to Section 11362.77 of the California Health & Safety Code is subject to the cultivation requirements laid out in subsection (b) of this Section.

(2) The establishment or operation of any medical marijuana collective, cooperative, dispensary, delivery service, operator, establishment, or provider shall be considered a prohibited use in all zoning districts of the Town. No use permit, variance, building permit, or any other entitlement or permit, whether administrative or discretionary, shall be approved or issued for the establishment of any collective,

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cooperative, dispensary, delivery service, operator, establishment, or provider in any zoning district, and no person shall otherwise establish such businesses or operations in any zoning district.

  • (d) Commercial Use.

(1) The establishment or operation of any business of commercial marijuana activity is prohibited. No use permit, variance, building permit, or any other entitlement or permit, whether administrative or discretionary, shall be approved or issued for the establishment or operation of any such business or operation. Such prohibited businesses or operations may include, but are not limited to:

(i) The transportation, delivery, storage, distribution, or sale of marijuana, marijuana products, or marijuana accessories;

  • (ii) The cultivation of marijuana;

(iii) The manufacturing or testing of marijuana, marijuana products, or marijuana accessories; or

(iv) Any other business licensed by the state or other government entity under Division 10 of the California Business & Professions Code, as it may be amended from time to time.

(e) Penalty for Violations. No person, whether as principal, agent, employee or otherwise, shall violate, cause the violation of, or otherwise fail to comply with any of the requirements of this section. Every act prohibited or declared unlawful, and every failure to perform an act made mandatory by this section, shall be a misdemeanor or an infraction, at the discretion of the City Attorney or the District Attorney. In addition to the penalties provided in this section, any condition caused or permitted to exist in violation of any of the provisions of this section is declared a public nuisance and may be abated as provided in Subchapter 1.05 of this Municipal Code and/or under state law.

[History: ORD 766, 11/9/16; ORD 768, 12/14/16]

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▸ Contents — Colma Zoning Code
Colma Zoning Code
  1. ▸ § 5.03
    Overview
    1. 5.03.020 Purpose.
    2. 5.03.030 Definitions generally.
    3. 5.03.040 General Prohibition.
    4. 5.03.050 Zones and Boundaries Thereof.
    5. 5.03.060 Zone Boundaries.
    6. 5.03.070 “G” Zone - Regulations Established.
    7. 5.03.071 “G” Zone - Permitted Uses.
    8. 5.03.072 “G” – Golf and Cemetery Zone – Development Standards.
    9. 5.03.080 Regulations Established.
    10. 5.03.081 Permitted Uses.
    11. 5.03.082 “R” - Residential Zone Development Standards.
    12. 5.03.090 Regulations Established.
    13. 5.03.091 “R-S” Zone - Permitted Uses.
    14. 5.03.092 “R-S” Zone Development Standards.
    15. 5.03.100 Purpose and Intent.
    16. 5.03.101 Definitions.
    17. 5.03.102 Permit Required.
    18. 5.03.103 ADU Density and Consistency.
    19. 5.03.104 ADU Process Time and Submittal Requirements.
    20. 5.03.105 ADU General Development and Operational Standards.
    21. 5.03.106 ADU Rental and Sale Limitations.
    22. 5.03.107 ADU Fee Requirements.
    23. 5.03.108 Conditions for Nonconforming Uses and Structures.
    24. 5.03.109 State Exempt ADUs and JADUs.
    25. 5.03.110 Number and Combination of State Exempt ADUs and JADUs…
    26. 5.03.111 State ADU Standards.
    27. 5.03.112 Non-State Exempt ADU Objective Design Standards.
    28. 5.03.113 Junior Accessory Dwelling Units.
    29. 5.03.110 Purpose.
    30. 5.03.111 Standards for Permitting Large Family Day Care Homes.
    31. 5.03.120 Purpose.
    32. 5.03.121 Prohibition of Boarding Houses or Rooming Houses in S…
    33. 5.03.130 Regulations Established.
    34. 5.03.131 Purpose.
    35. 5.03.132 Permitted Uses.
    36. 5.03.133 “C” - Commercial Zone Development Standards.
    37. 5.03.140 Regulations Established.
    38. 5.03.141 Purpose.
    39. 5.03.150 Regulations Established.
    40. 5.03.151 Purpose.
    41. 5.03.152 "DR" - Design Review Combining Zone Design Standards …
    42. 5.03.153 Restrictions and Procedures Applicable to the "DR" - …
    43. 5.03.154 Objective Design Standards (ODDS) for Planned Develop…
    44. 5.03.155 Manufactured Single-Family Residential Objective Desi…
    45. 5.03.156. ADU (ODDS)
    46. 5.03.160 Regulations Established.
    47. 5.03.161 Purpose.
    48. 5.03.162 Permitted Uses.
    49. 5.03.163 "P" – Public Zone Development Standards
    50. 5.03.170 Regulations Established.
    51. 5.03.171 Permitted Uses.
    52. 5.03.172 "E" – Executive, Administrative Zone Development Stan…
    53. 5.03.180 Regulations Established.
    54. 5.03.181 Purpose.
    55. 5.03.182 Permitted Uses.
    56. 5.03.183 Establishment of PD – Planned Development Districts.
    57. 5.03.184 Conceptual Development Plan Required.
    58. 5.03.185 Conditional Uses.
    59. 5.03.186 Detailed Development Plan Required.
    60. 5.03.187 PD – Planned Development Design Standards.
    61. 5.03.188 Open Space and Density.
    62. 5.03.189 Amendment of Development Plan.
    63. 5.03.190 Development Schedule.
    64. 5.03.191 Revocation of Use Permit.
    65. 5.03.195 Purpose.
    66. 5.03.196 No Parking Standards Required for Housing Element Ove…
    67. 5.03.197 Purpose.
    68. 5.03.198 Density Bonus and Affordable Housing Incentives.
    69. 5.03.199 In-Lieu Fees and Impact Fees.
    70. 5.03.200 Housing Fund.
    71. 5.03.201 Purposes and Use of Housing Fund.
    72. 5.03.202 Affordability Requirement for Residential Development.
    73. 5.03.203 Exemptions.
    74. 5.03.204 Basic Requirements for Inclusionary Units.
    75. 5.03.205 Alternative Equivalent Actions.
    76. 5.03.206 Compliance Procedures.
    77. 5.03.207 Eligibility for Inclusionary Units.
    78. 5.03.208 Owner-Occupied Units.
    79. 5.03.209 Rental Units.
    80. 5.03.210 Delegation of Authority.
    81. 5.03.211 Minimum Requirements.
    82. 5.03.212 Adjustments, Waivers.
    83. 5.03.213 Enforcement Provisions.
    84. 5.03.215 Regulations Established.
    85. 5.03.216 Purpose.
    86. 5.03.217 Restriction Applicable to "F" Zone.
    87. 5.03.218 Regulations Established.
    88. 5.03.219 “T" – Transit Zone Development Standards.
    89. 5.03.220 Development Standards Applicable to All Zones
    90. 5.03.230 Purpose.
    91. 5.03.231 Applicability.
    92. 5.03.232 Parking Standards.
    93. 5.03.233 Calculation of Parking
    94. 5.03.234 Location of Required Parking.
    95. 5.03.240 Purpose.
    96. 5.03.241 Application for Use Permit.
    97. 5.03.242 Standards for Granting Use Permit.
    98. 5.03.243 Effective Date of Decision to Grant or Deny Use Permi…
    99. 5.03.244 Lapse of Use Permit; Extension.
    100. 5.03.245 Duration of Use Permit.
    101. 5.03.246 Revocation of Use Permit.
    102. 5.03.250 Purpose.
    103. 5.03.252 Application Process; No Public Hearing.
    104. 5.03.253 Tier 1 Temporary Uses.
    105. 5.03.254 Tier 2 Temporary Uses.
    106. 5.03.255 Required Findings.
    107. 5.03.256 Conditions of Approval.
    108. 5.03.257 Term; Extension.
    109. 5.03.258 Revocation.
    110. 5.03.259 Appeal.
    111. 5.03.260 Posting.
    112. 5.03.270 Purpose
    113. 5.03.271 Application for Variance.
    114. 5.03.272 Standards for Granting a Variance.
    115. 5.03.273 Effective Date of Variance.
    116. 5.03.280 Purpose
    117. 5.03.281 Application for Amendment.
    118. 5.03.282 Standards for Adopting Amendments to Zoning Ordinance.
    119. 5.03.283 Compliance.
    120. 5.03.290 Administrative Permits.
    121. 5.03.300 Purpose.
    122. 5.03.310 Purpose.
    123. 5.03.350 Minor, Short-term, and Temporary Uses.
    124. 5.03.351 Home Office Use – Purpose and Recitals.
    125. 5.03.352 Home Office Use – Scope; Prohibition.
    126. 5.03.353 Home Office Use – Zoning Clearance; Prohibited Activi…
    127. 5.03.354 Home Office Use – Zoning Clearance Process.
    128. 5.03.355 Home Occupation Use – Conditional Use Permit Required.
    129. 5.03.356 Home Occupation Use or Cottage Food Operation – Condi…
    130. 5.03.357 No Net Reduction in Housing Units.
    131. 5.03.358 Regulation of the Use of Personal, Medical, and Comme…
    132. 5.03.359 Restrictions and Landscaping Along El Camino Real.
    133. 5.03.360 Restrictions Applicable to Recreational Vehicles and …
    134. 5.03.361 Restrictions Applicable to Dumps.
    135. 5.03.362 Regulations Applicable to RMU Vendors.
    136. 5.03.420 Applicability and Purpose.
    137. 5.03.421 Definitions.
    138. 5.03.422 Basic Requirements.
    139. 5.03.423 Applicant Obligations.
    140. 5.03.424 Electronic Processing.
    141. 5.03.425 Application Review.
    142. 5.03.426 Administrative Use Permit.
    143. 5.03.427 Inspections.
    144. 5.03.428 Exemptions.
    145. 5.03.430 Purpose.
    146. 5.03.431 Applicability of Historic Design Review.
    147. 5.03.432 Definitions.
    148. 5.03.433 Historic Design Review Procedures.
    149. 5.03.434 Findings and Decision.
    150. 5.03.435 Conformance to Plans.
    151. 5.03.500.1 Purpose and Findings.
    152. 5.03.500.2 Definitions.
    153. 5.03.502 Removal or Alteration of Trees Without a Permit Prohi…
    154. 5.03.503 Decision Making Body.
    155. 5.03.504 Permit Procedures.
    156. 5.03.505 Exceptions.
    157. 5.03.506 Appeal .
    158. 5.03.600 Purpose.
    159. 5.03.601 Definitions.
    160. 5.03.602 Administration.
    161. 5.03.603 Interference with town employees, contractors or repr…
    162. 5.03.604 Public Tree Care.
    163. 5.03.605 Destruction of Public Trees Unlawful.
    164. 5.03.606 Exceptions.
    165. 5.03.608 Town Tree Master Plan.
    166. 5.03.608 Master Tree List.
    167. 5.03.609 Prohibited Trees.
    168. 5.03.700 Purpose.
    169. 5.03.701 Applicability.
    170. 5.03.702 Application Requirements.
    171. 5.03.703 Consideration of Request.
    172. 5.03.704 Notice of Decision.

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