Board directs zoning amendment to create one‑mile Creston cannabis buffer

Supervisor Moreno raised concerns from Creston residents about multiple proposed cannabis projects near the small community and asked staff to bring back a zoning amendment to create a one‑mile buffer around the town’s urban reserve line to prohibit cannabis activities.

The motion — modeled on the county's existing hemp buffer language — would apply to all cannabis activities, not just outdoor cultivation, and was seconded and debated briefly. Supervisor Gibson expressed concern about priority sequencing for planning department workload, but staff and supervisors said planning staff had capacity to prepare the amendment. The board voted to direct staff to draft the code change; the motion carried with Supervisor Gibson voting No and other members voting Yes.

Staff will return the proposed zoning amendment for formal consideration, including analysis of any current applications that could be affected and an implementation timeline.