Our Los Angeles cannabis lawyers (of which I am one) are constantly being asked about the cannabis laws of various of the 88 incorporated cities in Los Angeles County.
Because it is both important and difficult to decipher each individual city’s local laws, we thought it would be helpful to provide you with charts to help. We divided the county into 4 regions and we will over the next few weeks trickle out the charts for each of these regions to keep you updated on each of the cities and their current laws.
Here is what’s going on in the 24 cities located in the Westside/South Bay Region of Los Angeles:
| City | Dispensing | Cultivating | Manufacturing | Distributing | Pending Changes |
| Avalon | – No –
Medical marijuana dispensaries are prohibited in the city. |
– No –
Cultivation of marijuana shall be considered a prohibited use in all zoning districts of the city. |
– Silent – | – Silent – | City council met 10/3/17 to discuss considering regulating cannabis. Recommended council direct city attorney develop an ordinance to regulate cannabis. |
| Beverly Hills | – No –
Commercial cannabis activity (profit or not-for-profit) is prohibited in the city. |
– No –
Commercial cannabis activity (profit or not-for-profit) is prohibited in the city. Exception for personal cultivation of 6 or fewer plants. |
– No –
Commercial cannabis activity (profit or not-for-profit) is prohibited in the city. |
– No –
Commercial cannabis activity (profit or not-for-profit) is prohibited in the city. |
City adopted an ordinance on 8/8/17 expressly prohibiting all forms of cannabis-related business in the city, with the exception of medical marijuana delivery to residents. |
| Carson | – No –
Municipal code explicitly prohibits medical marijuana dispensaries. |
– Silent – | – Silent – | – Silent – | On 11/8/16 the city passed Measure KK which would impose a tax on cannabis business activity. Also, the city council has been meeting to address allowing cannabis business activities, but nothing is certain yet. Scheduled to have an ordinance in effect by 12/7/17. |
| Compton | – No –
Commercial cannabis activities of any type or nature are expressly prohibited in all zones in the city. |
– No –
Cultivation of cannabis for commercial or non-commercial purposes, including cultivation by a qualified patient or primary caregiver, is expressly prohibited in all zones. Does not apply to the personal cultivation of up to 6 plants. |
– No –
Currently, a moratorium is in place for the establishment of all commercial medical marijuana uses in the city. |
– No –
Currently, a moratorium is in place for the establishment of all commercial medical marijuana uses in the city. |
Emergency ordinance issuing a moratorium on cannabis activities is currently in place. City council has directed the city attorney prepare a report on effect and impact of proposed marijuana initiative. |
| Culver City | – Silent –
The municipal code makes no mention of cannabis. |
– Silent – | – Silent – | – Silent – | On 9/11/17 the city council met to consider recommendations from marijuana task force to permit commercial cannabis activity in the city and directed staff to return with proposed ordinances that would allow manufacturing and distribution. Staff recommendation is to allow retail, cultivation, manufacturing, distributing, and laboratory testing. |
| El Segundo | – No –
No license can be issued for, nor shall any person operate a retail marijuana store, marijuana establishment, or any commercial marijuana activity in the city. |
– No –
No license can be issued for, nor shall any person operate a marijuana cultivation facility, marijuana establishment, or any commercial marijuana activity in the city. Cultivation for personal use is permitted of not more than 6 plants. |
– No –
No license can be issued for, nor shall any person operate a marijuana product manufacturing facility, marijuana establishment, or any commercial marijuana activity in the city. |
– No –
No license can be issued for, nor shall any person operate a marijuana testing facility, marijuana establishment, or any commercial marijuana activity in the city. |
Planning commission is held a study session on 10/12/17 with city staff to discuss new state marijuana laws and to recommend the city council approve an ordinance regulating marijuana-related land uses. |
| Gardena | – No –
Commercial marijuana activities of all types are expressly prohibited in all zones in the city. |
– No –
Commercial marijuana activities of all types are expressly prohibited in all zones in the city. Personal cultivation is permitted. |
– No –
Commercial marijuana activities of all types are expressly prohibited in all zones in the city. |
– No –
Commercial marijuana activities of all types are expressly prohibited in all zones in the city. |
Planning commission recommended council to approve an ordinance that will prohibit all commercial cannabis activity within the city on 9/5/17. |
| Hawthorne | – No –
Marijuana dispensaries are prohibited in all zones of the city (ordinance approved 1/26/17). |
– No –
Marijuana cultivation is prohibited in all zones of the city (ordinance approved 1/26/17). |
– No –
Marijuana processing is prohibited in all zones of the city (ordinance approved 1/26/17). |
– Silent – | No mention in city council meetings since issued ordinance 1/26/17. |
| Hermosa Beach | – No –
Marijuana dispensaries are prohibited in all zones throughout the city. |
– No –
Marijuana cultivation is prohibited in all zones within the city. No person shall cultivate any amount of cannabis in the city. |
– No –
No person shall establish, operate, conduct, or allow commercial cannabis activity anywhere in the city. Definition of commercial cannabis activity includes manufacture and processing. |
– No –
No person shall establish, operate, conduct, or allow commercial cannabis activity anywhere in the city. Definition of commercial cannabis activity includes distribution. |
Staff recommended city council provide direction for preparing an ordinance banning or regulating sale, manufacture, cultivation, and delivery of adult-use cannabis and residential cultivation of cannabis on 9/12/17 (no action has been taken). |
| Inglewood | – No –
The sale or dispensing of marijuana for medical purposes or otherwise at any medical marijuana dispensary is prohibited in all zones. |
– No –
Any use involved in the sale, possession, cultivation, use and/or distribution of marijuana for medical purposes is prohibited in all zones. |
– Silent – | – No –
Any use involved in the sale, possession, cultivation, use and/or distribution of marijuana for medical purposes is prohibited in all zones. |
Staff recommended council amend the zoning code to prohibit all commercial activity associated with cannabis production, transport and dispensing in all zones on 9/26/17. |
| Lawndale | – No –
Marijuana dispensaries are expressly prohibited in all zones throughout the city. |
– No –
Marijuana cultivation is prohibited in all zones throughout the city. |
– No –
Marijuana manufacturing is not a permitted use and is prohibited in all zones throughout the city. |
– No –
Marijuana distribution is not a permitted use and is prohibited in all zones throughout the city. |
On 5/1/17 the city council adopted an ordinance that prohibits all commercial marijuana uses that may be authorized under Prop. 64. |
| Lomita | – No –
Commercial cannabis activities of all types are expressly prohibited in all zones in the city. |
– No –
Commercial cannabis activities of all types are expressly prohibited in all zones in the city. |
– No –
Commercial cannabis activities of all types are expressly prohibited in all zones in the city. |
– No –
Commercial cannabis activities of all types are expressly prohibited in all zones in the city. |
None since municipal code updated on 2/2/2016 by prohibiting commercial cannabis activities 2/2/16. |
| Los Angeles | – No –
It is unlawful to operate, establish, own, use or permit the establishment or operation of a medical marijuana business in the city (unless already established prior to Sept. 2007). |
– No –
It is unlawful to operate, establish, own, use or permit the establishment or operation of a medical marijuana business in the city (unless already established prior to Sept. 2007). |
– No –
It is unlawful to operate, establish, own, use or permit the establishment or operation of a medical marijuana business in the city (unless already established prior to Sept. 2007). |
– No –
It is unlawful to operate, establish, own, use or permit the establishment or operation of a medical marijuana business in the city (unless already established prior to Sept. 2007). |
Currently waiting on the city council to approve regulations under Measure M to allow all commercial marijuana businesses of all types. |
| Lynwood | – No –
Marijuana dispensaries are prohibited in all zoning districts. |
– Yes –
Marijuana cultivation related businesses are permitted in the Manufacturing Zone. |
– Yes –
Marijuana manufacturing related businesses are permitted in the Manufacturing Zone. |
– Silent –
Do allow a transporter to carry or move cannabis within the city if comply with State law. |
Council allowing approval of development agreements for permits to operate cultivation and/or manufacturing facilities in the city. |
| Malibu | – Yes –
Medical marijuana dispensaries are permitted. |
– Silent – | – Silent – | – Silent – | On 2/22/16 city council directed staff to prepare ordinance limiting dispensaries and provide options for regulating commercial cultivation (no results yet). |
| Manhattan Beach | – No –
Medical marijuana dispensaries are prohibited. |
– No –
Indoor and outdoor cultivation of marijuana for commercial or non-commercial purposes is expressly prohibited. |
– No –
Commercial medical marijuana activities of any type or nature are expressly prohibited in the city. Definition of commercial medical marijuana activities includes manufacture and processing. |
– No –
Commercial medical marijuana activities of any type or nature are expressly prohibited in the city. Definition of commercial medical marijuana activities includes distribution. |
On 9/13/17 the planning commission held a public hearing to decide whether to recommend the city council adopt an ordinance prohibiting commercial cannabis activity in the city. |
| Palos Verdes Estates | – No –
Commercial cannabis activity of all types are expressly prohibited in all zones in the city. |
– No –
Marijuana cultivation is prohibited in all zones within the city’s jurisdictional limits. |
– No –
Commercial cannabis activity of all types is expressly prohibited in all zones in the city. |
– No –
Commercial cannabis activity of all types is expressly prohibited in all zones in the city. |
City council has met to amend an ordinance to allow certain types of cultivation. |
| Rancho Palos Verdes | – Silent –
|
– No –
Code explicitly prohibits marijuana cultivation. |
– Silent –
|
– Silent –
|
No action since cultivation prohibition was instituted. |
| Redondo Beach | – No –
Commercial cannabis activity of all types is expressly prohibited in all zones in the city. Dispensaries of medical cannabis are expressly prohibited in all zones throughout the city. |
– No –
Commercial cannabis activity of all types is expressly prohibited in all zones in the city. Cultivation of medical cannabis for non-commercial purposes is prohibited in all zones. |
– No –
Commercial cannabis activity of all types is expressly prohibited in all zones in the city. |
– No –
Commercial cannabis activity of all types is expressly prohibited in all zones in the city. |
Planning commission held a public hearing on 7/20/17 to amend zoning ordinance to continue to prohibit recreational commercial cannabis businesses, but allow delivery of medical cannabis. |
| Rolling Hills | – Silent –
|
– Silent –
|
– Silent –
|
– Silent –
|
Planning commission held a public hearing on 9/19/17 to consider banning all commercial cannabis activities, except allowing for delivery of medical cannabis and regulating personal cultivation. |
| Rolling Hills Estates | – No –
Medical marijuana dispensaries are expressly prohibited. |
– No –
The establishment or operation of a marijuana cultivation facility is prohibited within the city limits. |
– No –
All commercial cannabis activity within the city is prohibited. |
– No –
All commercial cannabis activity within the city is prohibited. |
No mention since code updated 2/23/16. |
| Santa Monica | – Yes –
Allows for 2 medical marijuana dispensaries in city. Staff anticipates selection process for 2 will be in early 2018 (no timelines available until 10/24/17). |
– Silent –
|
– Silent –
|
– Silent –
|
City council had study session on 3/7/17 to review options for allowing manufacturing of cannabis products that do not use volatile solvents. Expect ordinance regulating cannabis soon. |
| Torrance | – No –
Dispensaries of medical cannabis are expressly prohibited in the city. |
– No –
Cultivation of medical cannabis is expressly prohibited in the city. |
– No –
All commercial cannabis activity within the city is prohibited. |
– No –
All commercial cannabis activity within the city is prohibited. |
City council adopted an urgency ordinance establishing a temporary moratorium on marijuana uses on 6/27/17. On 8/8/17 council held a public hearing to consider extending the ban through December 2017. |
| West Hollywood | – Yes –
Municipal code expressly allows medical marijuana collectives. |
– Silent –
|
– Silent –
|
– Silent –
|
At 8/21/17 meeting council supported staff’s recommendations to allow dispensaries, cultivation, manufacturing, and testing. On 10/5/17 planning commission held a public hearing to consider a recommendation to council to amend the code to regulate cannabis-related land uses allowed under state law. |
