Here are all the rules Fresno's pot shops have to follow
'Cannabis is a very highly regulated industry in the state and city. It's a competitive process'
FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Recreational marijuana has been legal, if cities choose, in California since 2016.
Two years after that, Fresno voters opted in, allowing pot sales within the city.
On Monday, two dispensaries - The Artist Tree off Nees and Palm, and Embarc off Blackstone and Gettysburg - opened shop.
RELATED: Fresno's first two retail weed stores are finally open
"Cannabis is a very highly regulated industry in the state and city. It's a competitive process. The application process is extensive," said Jennifer Ruiz, deputy city manager for the City of Fresno.
According to city law, each cannabis business must be in a fully enclosed building and cannabis products cannot be visible from the public right-of-way.
Each business must be built in a way that no odors reach surrounding areas. The law also requires the best odor control technology be used to help contain the scent to the building.
Signage for weed shops must be modest, limited to the need for identification only. Outdoor signs cannot advertise or list the products offered.
The city is allowing 21 retail cannabis shops to open - three per council district.
The businesses cannot be within 800 feet from public, private or charter preschool or K-12 schools, day cares or youth centers.
That's more than the 600 feet of separation required by the state.
"There's a number of cannabis businesses working their way through the process so you'll see more open," said Ruiz.
The city received more than 100 applicants for cannabis licenses - with Monday's openings, only 19 more can be approved.
