Page 25 - Sonoma County Gazette January 2017

OUR COUNTY cont’d from page 24
Cannabis Ordinance: A year ago, the timeline for our Cannabis ordinance was 18-24 months...given the expected passage of Prop 64 in November, we accelerated our pace and held many public meetings to prepare for the impacts that legalization will have on our community.
Primary among the goals that we had was ensuring that existing producers of Cannabis would find a regulatory environment which encouraged compliance with the rules. This would both ensure that tax revenues were adequate to cover the public safety costs, and ensure that environmental protections were set in place.
Cannabis is being produced in Sonoma County...everyone knows this. But how and where are not always evident. Many producers operate underground, and this impacts our water supply and sometimes results in environmental devastation. We found that the Sonoma Growers Alliance members were intelligent, willing to advocate and comply with regulation, and wanted to work to toward an ordinance which would allow them to come out from the shadows.
We heard from many, many residents who had been adversely impacted by cannabis grows. People whose home life had been upturned by strangers moving in, erecting tall fences, installing security cameras, and sometimes threatening them. It was agreed that cultivation did not belong in residential neighborhoods. People had experienced intimidation, and there have been serious crimes and multiple murders associated with cannabis trafficking. It is a business that is cash-based due to Federal rules that inhibit banks from accepting deposits into accounts.
But, when people live on agricultural lands or rural residential lands, where is the line? The hope is that a balance can be struck which will allow existing small producers to survive – only time will tell. The ordinance includes large setbacks, requirements for lighting and energy use which should protect neighbors. And now there will be a clear line for law enforcement as to what is allowed and what is not.
Farewell: This is my final column for the Gazette. Next month, incoming Supervisor Lynda Hopkins will be taking over this space as I enter the next phase of my life.
I cannot adequately express what a privilege it has been to serve our District. Over the past decade (including the campaign), I have met the most remarkable people and been witness to incredible community efforts to solve problems, protect our environment, serve the needy, and face up to our most difficult challenges. Coming into office during a brutal recession, where massive cuts in personnel and expenses had to be made at the county, it is great to look back on that period while we enjoy more prosperity.
We can never forget the needy among us – as the gap widens between the very wealthy and the ever-increasing numbers at the poverty level. Much work remains to be done.
While I look forward to continued involvement while I raise my young family, I have much to be grateful for. I leave knowing that the District will be in good hands with Supervisor Lynda Hopkins.
COMING in March
2017 Sonoma County
Gardeners Resource Guide
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