Cannabis Zoning for Dispensaries and Indoor Cultivation in Unzoned Areas of Missoula County

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At their May 25 public meeting, the Missoula County commissioners allowed the withdrawal of the proposal for cannabis zoning in unzoned areas of the county following the governor’s signing of  House Bill 128. HB 128  extends the date for new growing operations to open to July 1, 2025. Staff plan to bring this proposal back closer to that date. ,The proposal would have required a 500-foot separation between dispensaries and energy conservation measures for indoor cannabis cultivation, which are the same regulations that already apply within the zoned areas of the County.

Missoula County Planning, Development and Sustainability was proposing zoning regulations pertaining to cannabis cultivation and dispensaries for unzoned areas of Missoula County.

The proposal would have required a 500-foot separation between dispensaries and energy conservation measures for indoor cannabis cultivation reflecting Missoula County’s goal of 100% clean electricity for the Missoula urban area by 2030. These regulations already apply to zoned areas (shown in red on the map) in Missoula County. The City of Missoula also has its own cannabis-related zoning within city limits.

See the “Important Links” section for links to more information on the already established regulations for zoned portions of the County and read the proposed regulations in the “documents” section.

The Missoula Consolidated Planning Board held a public hearing on this proposal on April 18, 2023, and voted to approve it.

Missoula County Planning, Development and Sustainability was proposing zoning regulations pertaining to cannabis cultivation and dispensaries for unzoned areas of Missoula County.

The proposal would have required a 500-foot separation between dispensaries and energy conservation measures for indoor cannabis cultivation reflecting Missoula County’s goal of 100% clean electricity for the Missoula urban area by 2030. These regulations already apply to zoned areas (shown in red on the map) in Missoula County. The City of Missoula also has its own cannabis-related zoning within city limits.

See the “Important Links” section for links to more information on the already established regulations for zoned portions of the County and read the proposed regulations in the “documents” section.

The Missoula Consolidated Planning Board held a public hearing on this proposal on April 18, 2023, and voted to approve it.

At their May 25 public meeting, the Missoula County commissioners allowed the withdrawal of the proposal for cannabis zoning in unzoned areas of the county following the governor’s signing of  House Bill 128. HB 128  extends the date for new growing operations to open to July 1, 2025. Staff plan to bring this proposal back closer to that date. ,The proposal would have required a 500-foot separation between dispensaries and energy conservation measures for indoor cannabis cultivation, which are the same regulations that already apply within the zoned areas of the County.

  • What do these regulations mean for dispensaries and indoor cannabis cultivation?

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    Missoula County commissioners at their May 25, 2023, public meeting allowed for the withdrawal of the proposal for cannabis zoning in unzoned areas of Missoula County following the passage of House Bill 128, which pushes the date back on when new grow operations can be stood up from July 1, 2023, to July 1, 2025. This subject will be brought up again when that date comes closer in 2025.
    • 500-foot separation between dispensaries: Distances would be measured from door to door and apply to ground floor dispensary businesses only. This aligns with the same standards set forth by the City of Missoula and County’s regulations in zoned areas.
    • Energy conservation for indoor cannabis cultivation:All new and expanded structures for indoor cannabis cultivation would need to meet one of the following conditions:
      1. All lighting equipment used for cannabis cultivation shall appear on the DesignLights Consortium’s Qualified Product List for Horticultural Living or a similar list approved by the County; or
      2. 100% of the electricity used by the facility shall be produced from renewable energy. Examples of how this condition may be met include any combination of the following:
        • The carbon-free fraction of the energy supplied by the cultivation facility’s electricity provider (i.e., if 95% of the electricity provided by the facility’s electricity provider comes from a renewable source, the facility would be responsible for providing the other 5%)
        • Onsite renewable energy
        • Offsite renewable energy, which may be obtained through participation in a community solar program or equivalent approved by the County.**

    Read the full regulations under “documents.”

    **Purchase of unbundled Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) does not count toward compliance with this section.