Suffold Sets Cannabis Zones

Virginia will begin recreational marijuana sales in 2027, prompting Suffolk officials to define where cannabis operations may locate within the city.

City planners are currently reviewing how retail stores, cultivation facilities, and processing plants align with existing zoning rules. Residential districts are excluded from consideration. Staff are examining agricultural, business, and commercial zones to determine suitability for different types of cannabis operations.

Meg Pittenger, the city's assistant director of planning, told the Planning Commission that Suffolk cannot ban marijuana uses entirely. However, the city retains authority to place these businesses within its land-use framework. Pittenger stated the goal is to place operations in appropriate locations while remaining compliant with state law to avoid litigation.

A proposed framework sets specific distance requirements for retailers and microbusinesses. These establishments would generally need to be at least 1,000 feet away from schools, day care centers, hospitals, and other marijuana businesses. Planners are still determining the exact method for measuring this distance.

Pittenger cited Godwin Boulevard and Sentara Obici Hospital as a case study. Measuring the 1,000-foot buffer from the hospital building versus the property line could change which nearby properties qualify for a retail license. She asked the commission to clarify whether measurements should start from the structure or the land boundary.

Rachael Pavlik, regional director of operations for Zen Leaf in Virginia and Maryland, said the company is prepared for the market expansion. Zen Leaf operates a medical marijuana dispensary in Suffolk and has locations in five other Hampton Roads cities. Under current rules, customers require a doctor's certification. Pavlik noted that adult-use sales will allow any person over 21 with a valid ID to purchase cannabis.

Pavlik added that Zen Leaf selects locations in cooperation with local governments. The company will still require state approval before expanding into recreational sales. Suffolk planning staff will present their zoning proposals to the Planning Commission and City Council as the state framework takes shape.