LAKE COUNTY — An ordinance that would ban the use of genetically engineered (GE) agriculture in Lake County stalled in its second reading Tuesday, a procedural step necessary in the adoption of an ordinance that usually takes less than five minutes. The discussion will continue Nov. 18.
The discussion took almost three hours, reminiscent of a five-hour GE workshop the board held in May and more than three hours of discussion Oct. 21 that ended with the board adopting the ban and scheduling a second reading for Nov. 4. District 4 Supervisor Anthony Farrington requested that the discussion be continued to give the board and the public time to review two alternate ordinances presented to the board that morning to allow an exception for a grower in Farrington”s district.
“This is a divisive issue, and I thought it was more than appropriate for us to circulate the ordinances so that everyone on both sides can look at all three ordinances,” Farrington said.
The ordinance the board adopted on a 3-2 vote Oct. 21, with supervisors Rob Brown and Jeff Smith opposing the ban, would require growers to obtain the board”s permission to grow GE crops. One suggested alternate would allow a grower in Farrington”s district to continue growing a GE corn crop under the county”s “right to farm” ordinance and state law, according to Farrington. Another alternative would phase out the corn-growing operation by arranging for the operation to stop on a date to be determined, Farrington said.
The board will also discuss the possibility of forming an advisory committee with members representing pro-GE and anti-GE viewpoints, which Farrington said would hopefully develop its own ordinance for the board to consider.
District 1 Supervisor-elect Jim Comstock publicly stated his opposition to the GE ban and his intention to lift it once he is sworn in as supervisor in January. Comstock will replace retiring District 1 Supervisor Ed Robey, who brought the GE ban before the board last month.
“At this stage in the game we should wait until he”s sworn in and a member of the board so he can participate in the dialogue,” Farrington said.
In other business, Mobile Home Task Force reported that out of 85 mobile home park owners surveyed, 21 responded when asked if they would voluntarily offer mobile home owners a lease that provides rent stability in the unincorporated areas of the county. Of those who responded, 16 park owners said they would offer the lease.
Farrington said he wanted to see 100 percent participation, or the board would look at making the lease mandatory. Another update is expected in the board”s Dec. 22 meeting.
The board also agreed to work with the U.S. Census Bureau to provide space to train Lake County residents whom the bureau will employ during the 2010 census, and to appoint a “Complete County Committee.”
Contact Tiffany Revelle at trevelle@record-bee.com, or call her directly at 263-5636 ext. 37.
