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Title III›Division 1 — PLANNING›Part 1 — USES AND ACTIVITIES

55.5 INDUSTRIAL HEMP LAND USE REGULATIONS

Humboldt County Zoning Code · 2026-07 edition · updated 2026-07-09 · Humboldt County

55.5.1 Purpose and Intent. The purpose of this section is to establish land use regulations for the cultivation of industrial hemp and registration of industrial hemp cultivation sites within the coastal area of the County of Humboldt which reduce negative impacts of industrial hemp cultivation on our community and environment.

55.5.4.1 Cultivation of industrial hemp by any person or entity for any purpose is expressly prohibited in all zoning districts in the unincorporated area of the County. Additionally, “established agricultural research institutions,” as defined in State Food and Agriculture Code Section 81000, are similarly prohibited from cultivating industrial hemp for agricultural or academic research purposes.

55.5.4.2 Acceptance of any application for or issuance of a registration, permit or entitlement, or approval of any type, that authorizes the establishment, operation, maintenance, development or construction of any facility or use for the purpose of the cultivation of industrial hemp is expressly prohibited in all zoning districts in the unincorporated area of the County. (Ord. 2468, Section 1, 12/13/2011; Ord. 2634, § 2, 7/23/ 2019; Ord. 2638, §§ 2, 3, 2/4/2020; Ord. 2639, § 2, 2/4/2020; Ord. 2666, § 2, 2/9/2021; Ord. 2733, § 8, 3/5/2024)

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55.5.2 Applicability and Interpretation.

55.5.2.1 All facilities and activities involved in the cultivation of industrial hemp and registration of industrial hemp cultivation sites within the jurisdiction of the County of Humboldt within the Coastal Zone shall be controlled by the provisions of this section.

55.5.2.2 Severability. If any provision of this section, or the application thereof, is held invalid, that invalidity shall not affect any other provision or application of this section that can be given effect without the invalid provisions or application; and, to this end, the provisions or application of this section are severable.

55.5.3 Definitions. “Industrial hemp” means a crop agricultural product, whether growing or not, that is limited to types of the plant Cannabis sativa Linnaeus and any part of that plant, including the seeds of the plant and all derivatives, extracts, the resin extracted from any part of the plant, cannabinoids, isomers, acids, salts, and salts of

The Humboldt County Code is current through Ordinance 2784, passed March 10, 2026.

Page 277 of 1183

Title III Land Use and Development | Humboldt County Code

isomers, with a delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) concentration of no more than three-tenths percent (0.3%) on a dry weight basis. State Food and Agricultural Code Sections 81000 through 81015 require registered industrial hemp sites be a minimum one-tenth (0.1) acre for entities other than seed breeders or established agricultural research institutions.

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▸ Contents — Humboldt County Zoning Code
Humboldt County Zoning Code
  1. ▸ Title III
    Overview
    1. ▸ Division 1 — PLANNING
      Overview
      1. Chapter 2 — ADMINISTRATION, PROCEDURES, AMENDMENTS AND ENFORCE…
      2. Chapter 1
      3. Chapter 2
      4. Chapter 3
      5. Part 1 — PRINCIPAL ZONES
      6. Part 2 — SPECIAL AREA COMBINING ZONES
      7. ▸ Part 1 — USES AND ACTIVITIES
        Overview
        1. 43.1 ACCESSORY USES
        2. 43.2 ALLOWED AGRICULTURAL ACTIVITIES NOT A NUISANCE (“RIGHT TO…
        3. 43.3 ANIMAL KEEPING
        4. 45.1 COASTAL-DEPENDENT INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT
        5. 45.2 COTTAGE INDUSTRY
        6. 50.1 HOME OCCUPATION AND ADDRESSES OF CONVENIENCE
        7. 55.1 INDOOR CULTIVATION OF CANNABIS FOR PERSONAL USE
        8. 55.2 OUTDOOR CULTIVATION OF CANNABIS FOR PERSONAL USE
        9. 55.3 MEDICAL CANNABIS DISPENSARIES
        10. 55.4 COMMERCIAL CULTIVATION, PROCESSING, MANUFACTURING, DISTRI…
        11. 55.5 INDUSTRIAL HEMP LAND USE REGULATIONS
        12. 57.1 OIL AND GAS DRILLING AND PROCESSING
        13. 61.05 SHORT-TERM RENTALS
        14. 61.2 SURFACE MINING AND RECLAMATION
        15. 62.1 TEMPORARY USES
        16. 64.1 VEGETATION REMOVAL, MAJOR
      8. Part 2 — STRUCTURES AND FACILITIES
      9. Part 3 — DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS
      10. Part 4 — REGULATIONS THAT APPLY IN SENSITIVE HABITATS AND HAZA…
      11. Part 5 — NONCONFORMING USES AND STRUCTURES
      12. Part 1 — CLASSIFICATION OF USE TYPES
      13. Part 2 — GLOSSARY OF USE TYPES
      14. Part 1 — PRINCIPAL ZONES
      15. Part 2 — REGULATIONS FOR THE COMBINING ZONES
      16. Part 1 — USES AND ACTIVITIES
      17. Part 2 — STRUCTURES AND FACILITIES
      18. Part 3 — DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS
      19. Part 4 — (SECTION RESERVED FOR FUTURE USE)
      20. Part 5 — NONCONFORMING USES AND STRUCTURES
      21. Part 1 — CLASSIFICATION OF USE TYPES
      22. Part 2 — GLOSSARY OF USE TYPES
  2. Title III — LAND USE AND DEVELOPMENT

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