I see it stated in letters to the editor that collective medical marijuana cultivation is allowed under Measure N on parcels 20 acres or larger that permit agricultural use.
This is false.
The nuances are important. Measure N requires collective cultivation to be done on parcels with the “A” zoning designation, a rare and somewhat arbitrary designation. Local, state and national media outlets have reported this incorrectly as “parcels legal for agricultural use,” but if this were true it would include other zoning designations like APZ, RR, and RL. Agricultural use is specifically allowed in these zoning designations, yet collective cannabis cultivation is not allowed there under Measure N.
I”ve seen people post comments like “if you want to grow commercially go find some ag land, get a use permit and pay your taxes like other commercial farmers do.” Many have done just that, investing in acreage in areas zoned for agricultural use, such as APZ, RR and RL.
Back in 2010, they were told that collective cultivation should be an accessory to a residence, so many of the people who invested in their agriculture approved properties also invested in building homes on those properties. Then, with Measure N, they were told they could not grow collectively on their 20 acres or 100 acres, because it is not zoned A, even though it is zoned for agricultural use.
Section 72.5 L of ordinance 2997 can be read at: www.co.lake.ca.us/Assets/BOS/docs/ORD+2997.pdf
In fact, the majority of agriculture (pears, grapes and walnuts) is being grown on land that is not zoned A, it is on APZ, RR, and RL zoning.
So why is cannabis farming limited to A zoning? This is so restrictive that it has become a defacto ban on collective cultivation.
A yes vote on Measure O gives us another shot at reforming these failed policies. Measure O allows collective cultivation on large rural parcels permitting agricultural use, limiting collective cultivation to parcels of 5 acres or more, with a strict limit of 48 plants.
Voting yes on Measure O will stop the prohibitionists from using our zoning regulations to advance their agenda, and will save us from further lawsuits. Measure O is real regulation that permits responsible cultivation. Vote yes on Measure O!
Michael Horner, Cobb
