Chesapeake Council Directs Planning Commission to Draft Cannabis Zoning Rules Ahead of 2027 Sales

The city joins other Virginia localities in setting local land-use groundwork before the state's July 2027 recreational retail launch.

FILE — statehouse · B.D. Gilfry / CC BY-SA 2.0

Chesapeake City Council on Sept. 22, 2026, adopted a resolution directing the city's planning commission to study and recommend zoning and land-use rules for cannabis businesses, according to WTKR.

The move comes as Virginia prepares to allow recreational retail marijuana sales starting July 1, 2027, with the state's Cannabis Control Authority able to begin accepting retail license applications as early as Feb. 1, 2027, WTKR reported.

What the Resolution Does

The resolution asks the planning commission to consider amendments to the Chesapeake Zoning Ordinance that would set local requirements for businesses licensed by the state authority, per WTKR. No specific zoning rules have been adopted yet; the commission will study the issue and report recommendations back to council, with the city aiming to finalize rules before sales begin next July, WTKR said.

State Framework Limits Local Bans

The zoning push stems from a 2026 General Assembly budget provision that legalized cannabis cultivation, processing, sale and related activity statewide while barring localities from banning such businesses outright, WTKR reported. Cities and counties retain authority over zoning and land use, including where businesses can locate. The state authority requires retail marijuana stores to sit at least 1,000 feet from schools, leaving other placement decisions to local governments, according to WTKR. WTKR reported that statewide, 350 licensed recreational marijuana stores will be allowed to open.

Other Localities Also Moving

WTKR noted that Norfolk has already discussed using conditional use permits for cannabis operations, though Chesapeake has not yet settled on a similar approach. In Bedford County, the Board of Supervisors voted to advance a separate proposal adding a specific zoning definition for recreational retail sales, according to WSET. Jordan Mitchell, the county's director of planning and zoning, said the county is "modernizing the definition of retail sales" and has not decided whether cannabis retailers would be allowed by-right in certain districts or required to go through a special-use permit process, WSET reported. WSET identified John Fishwick as a former U.S. Attorney and reported that he said state law would take priority if Virginia allows recreational marijuana sales, quoting him as saying, "A local law can't be inconsistent with a state law. The state law takes priority." Bedford's proposal is scheduled for a Planning Commission hearing Oct. 6 and could reach the Board of Supervisors in November, with more detailed siting rules expected next spring, per WSET.

Local Business Reaction

Molly McLean, manager of Epic Tobacco & Vape in Chesapeake, told WTKR the store is already considering expanding into cannabis retail, saying "I think it would do really well with our profits and with us selling the glassware and everything already, I think it would boost business." McLean also said she supports regulation aimed at making recreational sales as safe as possible, according to WTKR.

Database Context

State licensing records show Virginia's cannabis market is currently classified as medical-only, with 23 open retail locations and no cultivation, manufacturing or lab facilities listed as open. Recorded year-to-date revenue and monthly sales figures for the state show no data yet, consistent with recreational sales not having started. Related coverage in Cannabis Newz's database includes an item noting Virginia's Cannabis Control Authority released draft retail marijuana regulations on Sept. 11, and a separate report that Bedford County's sheriff has sought limits on recreational marijuana retailers, suggesting local law enforcement input is factoring into some jurisdictions' zoning debates.

What to Watch

It remains unclear what specific zoning framework Chesapeake's planning commission will recommend, or whether it will mirror Norfolk's conditional-use-permit approach discussed elsewhere, per WTKR. Bedford County's process — still in its early definitional stage, according to WSET — illustrates that localities across Virginia are moving at different paces and with different tools ahead of the July 2027 launch. With state license applications opening as soon as February 2027, the coming months are likely to bring additional local zoning proposals as the state's 350-store retail allowance gets allocated across cities and counties still finalizing their own rules.