Board of Supervisors Ad Hoc Committee

on the Future of Cannabis Operations in Santa Barbara County

The County established an Ad Hoc Committee of the Board. The Ad Hoc Subcommittee with staff will research, establish and monitor cannabis operations. The Committee consists of First District Supervisor Das Williams, Fifth District Supervisor Steve Lavagnino, and staff from the County Executive Office, Agriculture Commission, Planning & Development, Public Health/Environmental Health, Sheriff's Office and District Attorney. 

The public is invited to attend a meeting to ask questions and provide input to the Ad Hoc Committee of the Board of Supervisors regarding the regulation of medical and recreational cannabis.

Latest News and Updates

Cannabis

NORTH COUNTY: The public is invited to attend a meeting to ask questions and provide input to the Ad Hoc Committee of the Board of Supervisors regarding the regulation of medical and recreational cannabis. 2- 4 p.m., Friday, June 30 at the County's Santa Maria Betteravia Admin Complex Hearing Room, 511 E. Lakeside Pkwy., Santa Maria 93454. View the media advisory and the flyer.

The first meeting of the Ad Hoc Committee was held on Tuesday, April 25. View the meeting presentation and the flyer. 

Cannabis Operations Registry

On April 11, 2017, the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors adopted an ordinance establishing a limited term, non-personal cannabis cultivation and related Operations Registry Program within the unincorporated areas of the county. The ordinance was developed in response to medical and recreational marijuana (cannabis) cultivation following the passage of Proposition 64 (Adult Use of Marijuana Act) by California voters in the November 2016 general election.

Read the full Press Release.

The goals of the registry program are to:

  • Collect data on past, current and planned cannabis cultivation or related operations in the unincorporated area of the County,
  • Inform future cannabis studies, including, but not limited to, a California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) environmental impact analysis and possibly a separate economic impact analysis, and
  • Establish a pool of registrants who may receive priority review when they submit an application for the cultivation of cannabis or related cannabis operations in the unincorporated area of Santa Barbara County.

The registry program allows individuals to provide basic information on the scale of their past or current medical cannabis cultivation operation or intended future medical or non-medical cannabis operations through an online registration tool. It will also allow individuals interested in future commercial cannabis operations who are not currently functioning but have a site and the intent to cultivate or manufacture cannabis or cannabis-based products to register their intent.

The registry program is open through June 30, 2017. The registry will not be used to collect information regarding those who are cultivating cannabis for personal use as allowed by County Code and state law.

The Board has discretion in allowing or prohibiting various cannabis related business activities, including establishment of local regulations, business licensing, and land use permitting, in combination with state regulation and licensing through California's medical cannabis statutes and the statutes approved by California voters through Proposition 64.

Begin the
Online Registration Form

Note: This registry is not intended for those individuals cultivating cannabis for personal medical use in compliance with County Code Section 35-1003 A.1, or cultivating only six cannabis plants in compliance with Health and Safety Code section 11362.2.

Board of Supervisors Documents

Additional Cannabis Information from the County


Intergovernmental Links

DRAFT State Medical Cannabis Regulations

Other Resources