AGENDA DATE: 11/18/2026
TITLE:
Title
Cannabis Regulations
BODY
SUBJECT/PROPOSAL/REQUEST: Provide information on new State regulations and request directions from the Board.
ITEM TYPE: Regular Action Item
STAFF CONTACT(S): Richardson, Wall, Herrick, Tevendale, Svoboda, MacCall, Fritz
PRESENTER (S): Bill Fritz
LEGAL REVIEW: Yes
REVIEWED BY: Jeffrey B. Richardson
BACKGROUND: The General Assembly approved new cannabis regulations during the 2026 session. The cannabis marketplace will be regulated by the Virginia Cannabis Control Authority. The new State regulations take effect July 1, 2027.
STRATEGIC PLAN: Safety & Well-Being - Nurture a safe and healthy community.
DISCUSSION: New State regulations establish a commercial cannabis market in Virginia subject to regulation by the Virginia Cannabis Control Authority (VCCA). On February 1, 2027, VCCA may begin accepting business license applications for the retail sales, cultivating, and processing facilities of cannabis. State regulations require VCCA to provide notice to the locality in which the licensee is applying from, and the locality will have 30 days to respond to the VCCA notice. The commercial marketplace will become effective July 1, 2027. The County may tax the retail sales of cannabis products, adopted regulations on hours of retail sales, limit areas of consumption and adopt limited land use regulations.
BUDGET IMPACT: The County must adopt a retail sales tax rate of between 1% and 3.5% by July 1, 2027. If the County fails to adopt a sales tax by that date it may not adopt any tax rate.
RECOMMENDATION:
Recommendation
Staff request directions from the Board on the following:
- Does the Board of Supervisors want to consider amendments to the zoning ordinance?
- Does the Board of Supervisors want to consider establishing hours of sale?
- Does the Board of Supervisors want to consider reductions in separation of uses below those established by the Virginia Cannabis Control Authority?
- Does the Board of Supervisors want to consider a retail tax of between 1% and 3.5%?
ATTACHMENTS:
Attachment A - Memo to Board of Supervisors
Attachment B - Facility types
Attachment C - State code provisions