Is there a limit to the number of retailers or micro-cultivators a town or city can have?

A municipality must approve zoning to allow for cannabis establishments, including retailers and micro-cultivators, to operate in their community. For information about zoning restrictions or approvals in a particular municipality, please contact that municipality directly.  

In addition, Section 148 of Public Act 21-1 of the June 2021 Special Session allows for municipalities to have up to one licensed adult-use cannabis retailer and one licensed micro-cultivator per 25,000 residents. This means that for every 25,000 residents in a town or city, there may be one licensed adult-use cannabis retailer and micro-cultivator. A municipality with fewer than 25,000 people can host one retailer and micro cultivator. A municipality must have no less than 50,000 residents to qualify for two retailers and micro-cultivators. This restriction on the number of retailers and micro-cultivators allowed per municipality based on the town or city’s population will expire June 30, 2024. 

No matter the size of the community, a municipality may prohibit specific or all types of cannabis establishments within their town or city. For example, the municipality may decide that they will not allow for a licensed adult-use cannabis retailer in their town or city. This means that no matter how big the town or city is, since the town has not allowed for a retailer in their community, no retailer may operate in this municipality.