Page 13 - Sonoma County Gazette - May, 2018

CANNABIS cont’d from page 12
Today, we have hundreds, if not thousands, of cultivators on RR/AR who have been disqualified from participating in the market. We have a few hundred who survived this past year under the County’s “Penalty Relief Program,” but who cannot find, let alone afford, compliant properties, and are on the fence about whether to jump into the permitting madness. Then there are those that took the leap of faith, moved to new parcels, followed all the rules and applied for permits, only to find it may not have been worth it after all with the threat of program failure and high costs looming over applicants.
Neighborhood Groups Voice their Concerns
Neighborhood opposition groups have sprung up in the past few months, and some members are running a fairly sophisticated and well-funded anti- ”pot” campaign that includes TV, paper and facebook advertising, and even direct mail flyers with emotionally charged images, scary soundbites, and flat-out scare tactics. It’s hard to tell if the misrepresentations are due to simple lack of information on the part of the group organizers, or whether it’s because spinning the facts serves their purpose; they know that by making certain claims, more people will get angry and scared. Regardless of the motivation, this campaign to demonize the legal outdoor cannabis growers is causing a divide in our County that has never before existed.
Many folks who oppose cannabis cultivation are unaware that, to meet the ordinance standards and receive a county permit, cultivators must meet a strict set of regulations. There are size limits, security plans and environmental standards in place. By creating this regulatory framework, the county now has a pathway to control water, energy, safety, and more all while generating much needed tax dollars for our economy.
agencies. Water use is of huge concern but they are unaware that our wells have to be metered and we must report water usage to the county and State Water Control Board every year and if we go over our allotted water use our project goes up for review.
Ultimately, the neighborhood opposition is pointing fingers at the wrong target when they attack farms that are in the permitting process. It’s the bad actors and black market operators that bring crime and are a risk to public safety. Those who have come forward for a permit want to do things the right way; safely, and privately. These are many good operators. We should be supporting them in order to bring this industry into compliance with other legal businesses.
What Happens Now?
Environmental Policies Provide Protection
Even if the Supervisors push on with the cannabis plan over the next 6-12 months, the reality is that our program has so far failed Sonoma county farmers. The participation rate is low and I’m not sure this will change if the incentives are not there. Tax dollars aren’t coming in because the county won’t issue permits due to public controversy -- although not even a single public hearing has been scheduled for a project.
They are wary of commercial sized farms, but don’t know that the laws prohibit any more than a 10,000 sf greenhouse in Ag zones, or that the cap for cultivation on all parcels is one acre. They are concerned about electricity use without even realizing cannabis operations have to be run on 100% renewable energy. They are worried about environmental damage without knowing
that we have to submit a plethora of technical reports and have site visits and receive permits from California Department of Fish and Wildlife and other
Sonoma county needs an economic boost more than ever since the fires, and we are pushing away our primary local cash generator, something that we should be holding dear. Our morale has already taken a hit, with so many residents now angry and misinformed about their cannabis-cultivating neighbors. But now our communities will suffer the consequences as the economy declines and more and more local and cash-supported businesses shut their doors. I wonder how safe we will feel then?
Legal Business vs. Black Market
Meanwhile, cannabis businesses that economically prop up our communities are moving out of Sonoma County. Businesses that relied on the cannabis industry overtly, such as hardware stores and hydroponic stores, are reporting record declines in sales. Many other businesses that thrived because of the industry - from bookkeepers to accountants to printers to waldorf schools to local clothing and specialty food shops and restaurants - are losing business, money, and jobs as the cannabis industry slowly unwinds and fades away.
Alexa Rae Wall Luma California, Chair of Board, Sonoma County Growers Alliance
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