To: County of Sonoma Board of Supervisors
Department or Agency Name(s): Department of Health Services
Staff Name and Phone Number: Nolan Sullivan, 707-565-4774; Amelyn Olson, 707-565-2696
Vote Requirement: Majority
Supervisorial District(s): Countywide
Title:
Title
Ordinance Amending provisions in Chapter 14 of the Sonoma County Code, including provisions concerning cannabis dispensaries and repealing obsolete provisions in Chapter 24 concerning septic bonds (Second Reading)
End
Recommended Action:
Recommended action
Adopt an ordinance titled “An Ordinance of the Board of Supervisors of the County of Sonoma, State of California, amending provisions in Chapter 14 of the Sonoma County Code concerning cannabis dispensaries and repealing obsolete provisions in Chapter 24 concerning septic bonds.” (Second Reading)
end
Executive Summary:
On March 24, 2026, at a regular meeting, the Board of Supervisors introduced ordinances to amend provisions in Chapter 14 of the Sonoma County Code concerning cannabis retail operations (dispensaries) and repealing obsolete provisions in Chapter 24 concerning septic bonds. This Board item recommends adoption of the ordinance amendments that allow Environmental Health to complete development of a protective regulatory framework for cannabis consumption lounges and also make minor changes to Chapter 14 and 24 to clarify Environmental Health authority and eliminate the requirement for a performance bond for septic haulers.
Discussion:
Recent changes in state law, enacted in AB 1775 (2024), authorize local jurisdictions to allow on-site cannabis consumption, including cannabis lounges, under specified conditions. The law also includes employee protections, ventilation requirements, and other health and safety considerations. Local jurisdictions must modify both zoning and public health ordinances to permit lounges.
The Department of Health Services (DHS), Environmental Health Division, enforces many public health requirements in the unincorporated areas of the County as well as within the cities (under the authority of the Health Officer, who by agreement is also the Health Officer for the cities). The Board recently allowed on-site consumption of cannabis in the unincorporated areas of the county as a matter of land use, but it remains prohibited under the County’s health ordinances.
Chapter 14 of the County Code, effective in both the unincorporated area of the County and the cities, currently does not allow on-site consumption at dispensaries. Likewise, Chapter 32, the County’s smoking ordinance, also prohibits indoor consumption via combustion in the unincorporated areas of the County. In sum, although zoning for the unincorporated areas of the County now allows cannabis lounges, these two ordinances would require amendment before cannabis consumption lounges would be authorized.
County Code, Chapter 14 - Cannabis Dispensary Ordinance
Minor technical clarifications are proposed in various provisions of Chapter 14, but the primary effect of the amendments will be on the cannabis dispensary ordinance.
Current Provision: Chapter 14 allows retail cannabis sales but prohibits on-site consumption at retail operations (dispensaries) anywhere in the County.
Proposed Amendment: Authorize on-site consumption at licensed retail operations (dispensaries) throughout Sonoma County through issuance of a DHS Cannabis Lounge Health Permit and approval from the appropriate land use agency. On-site consumption lounges will be required to comply with Health Officer requirements. Requirements include:
• Compliance with ventilation, filtration, and air-quality standards modeled on DCC requirements and jurisdictions such as San Francisco and West Hollywood;
• Clear physical separation between retail and consumption areas;
• Employee protections from secondhand smoke exposure consistent with AB 1775 standards;
• Prohibition of alcohol or tobacco sales or consumption on premises;
• Restricted access to adults age 21+ and required age verification procedures;
• Odor control, signage, and operational standards to minimize off-site impacts.
Corrected Scrivener’s Error: Section 14-6-20 has the following edits “Notwithstanding section 14-01-010, this article shall apply solely in the unincorporated areas and in the unincorporated areas that have opted into this article by providing notice to the Health Officer in writing.”
Amendments to Chapter 14 to address restrictions in Chapter 32
Current Provision: The County’s Smoking Ordinance prohibits smoking in enclosed public spaces and places of employment, which includes cannabis consumption.
Proposed Amendment: Make Chapter 32 inapplicable to consumption lounges authorized under Chapter 14 of the County Code.
These amendments maintain strong protections for workers and the general public but allows for the consumption lounges permitted by AB 1775.
Amendments to Chapter 24 (Bond Requirements)
DHS staff also propose a cleanup amendment to Chapter 24 that is unrelated to cannabis. Environmental Health enforces state law with respect to septic hauling and tank cleaning, but independent of state law the County Code has required septic haulers to post a bond as part of their permit application. Staff’s proposed ordinance amendment eliminates this requirement as it is less effective than other enforcement measures, including penalties.
This Ordinance was introduced on March 24, 2026, and this item seeks the adoption of the Ordinance. The Ordinance will take effect thirty (30) days after adoption.
Strategic Plan:
N/A
Racial Equity:
Was this item identified as an opportunity to apply the Racial Equity Toolkit?
No
Prior Board Actions:
On March 24, 2026, the Board adopted Resolution No. 26-0106 introducing, reading the title of and waiving further reading of an ordinance to amend Chapter 14 ("Health and Sanitation”) and Article III of Chapter 24 ("Cleaning Septic Tanks, Etc.”) of the Sonoma County Code.
Fiscal Summary
Narrative Explanation of Fiscal Impacts:
None
Narrative Explanation of Staffing Impacts (If Required):
None
Attachments:
Attachment 1 - Ordinance
Attachment 2 - Post-Adoption Summary
Related Items “On File” with the Clerk of the Board:
None