Cannabis Ordinance

The Town of Corte Madera has developed a Cannabis Ordinance to regulate cannabis businesses and personal cultivation in the Town. Information about past public workshops and meetings are provided below.  Two Ordinances were adopted May 21, 2019 and became effective 30 days following adoption:

(1) Ordinance No. 986 amending Title 6–Health and Sanitation, Chapter 6.14-Prohibiting Smoking, and Title 9-Peace, Safety and Morals, Chapter 9.14-Controlled Substances of the Corte Madera Municipal Code to replace the term  “marijuana” with “cannabis” and clarify the definition of smoking paraphernalia, and 

(2) Ordinance No. 987 amending Title 18-Zoning of the Corte Madera Municipal Code to ban all cannabis businesses except cannabis delivery services provided by businesses located outside of the town, and to regulate the cultivation of cannabis for personal use.

Town Council Second Reading of Ordinance May 21, 2019

  • Staff Report for May 21, 2109 Town Council meeting - dated May 16, 2019

Town Council Public Hearing (Introduction of Ordinance) May 7, 2019

Planning Commission Public Hearing March 26, 2019

Town Council Public Meeting December 4, 2018

Planning Commission Public Meeting October 23, 2018

Public Workshops

As a follow up to the two public workshops, public hearings will be held before the Planning Commission to educate and inform the community, gather public opinion, receive public comment, hear concerns and respond to questions. At the appropriate time, the Planning Commission will review the draft ordinance and submit a recommendation to the Town Council. The Town Council will hold additional public hearings with the goal of adopting an ordinance that reflects the values and goals of the community. All public meetings will be duly noticed in advance.

Below is a brief introduction to the cannabis regulations implemented at the state level and the ordinances adopted by the Town in order to comply with the state requirements. We have also included links to resources available from the State of California.

Cannabis Regulations

In September 2015, the California Legislature adopted the Medical Cannabis Regulation and Safety Act (MCRSA) in an effort to clarify and establish a statewide regulatory framework to oversee medicinal cannabis businesses.

In 2016, California voters passed Proposition 64 (Prop 64) known as the Control, Regulate and Tax Adult Use of Marijuana Act (AUMA) which legalized the non-medicinal use of cannabis for individuals 2l years of age or older and established a state-wide method to issue licenses to non-medicinal cannabis-related businesses. Prop 64 includes multiple local-control provisions that provide Corte Madera with the authority to prohibit and/or regulate cannabis-related businesses and certain aspects of personal cultivation within the Town.

In response to Prop 64, the Town adopted an urgency ordinance (No. 971 - see below) which established a temporary prohibition on medicinal and non-medicinal cannabis-related businesses from operating in Town.  This ordinance was extended twice (Ordinances No. 972 and No. 978 - see below) and is due to expire on September 19, 2019.  Prior to the expiration of the ordinance, the Town will develop its own regulations for cannabis businesses and personal cultivation.  The public survey and workshops are the first step in developing these new regulations.

State of California Resources

Project Contact

The Town appreciates the valuable feedback provided by the citizens of Corte Madera.  Please feel free to contact Phil Boyle, Senior Planner at 415-927-5064 or pboyle@tcmmail.org  if you have questions, feedback, or need additional information.