LAKE COUNTY >> With 53 of 70 precincts reporting, Measures O and P appear to be rejected by Lake County voters with an 63.3 percent and 68.2 percent no votes, respectively.
Measure N will remain the law of the land, which has disallowed growing for community growth boundary (CGB) residents and put tight restrictions on cooperative grows since July, will remain in place. Measure O, an initiative that was seen by its proponents as a just compromise, would have allowed limited growing in CGBs once again. A majority of votes on Measure P, an initiative of a different breed, would have provided residents with the “fundamental self-evident right to have and grow the natural plants of this earth” without set restrictions on amounts or location.
The debate between proponents of the measures and those opposed was contentious at times, including charges of political signs being stolen. In the opinion pages and social media, the bickering even became heated between supporters of Measure O and Measure P, with the former positioning their idea as a more balanced one.
Clearly Measure P was more divisive, but only by a few percentage points. The two were, indeed, quite distinct.
Measure O hoped to allow residents to grow four plants on properties less than one acre in size, 12 plants on parcels between 1 and 5 acres in size and 48 plants on 5 acres or more. Plants would be required to be secured behind fences at least 6-feet high with locked gates, maintain a 600-foot distance from schools and 100 feet from bodies of water. It also offers environmental protections similar to those in Measure N.
The initiative was drafted by the Emerald Unity Coalition and sought input from public telephone conferences, polls, the current sheriff and the sheriff-elect, according to Emerald Unity Coalition member Daniel McLean.
Measure P, however, aimed for a goal that had so little to do with marijuana — ostensibly — and so much to do with a person”s natural right to garden. The measure even directly mention cannabis in the initiative, though it did point at Monsanto. The measure”s claims instead to limit the control of bio-tech industry”s influence on the food industry.
However, the measure provided no limits for cannabis plants, did not mention requirements in terms of distances from schools or bodies of water or the need for fences or locks. It also required complaints against growers to be handled by directed mediation at the county”s expense.
Outdoor cultivation of medicinal marijuana is allowed under Measure N. However, cultivation cannot be done within community growth boundaries and cannot exceed six mature plants, or 12 immature plants, on a parcels larger than one acre. Outdoor cultivation is prohibited on parcels smaller than one acre. Collectives are allowed to cultivate up to 48 mature plants or 72 immature plants, provided all members are county residents and the parcel is at least 20 acres and zoned for agriculture. As for indoor cultivation of medicinal marijuana, cultivation cannot occupy more than 100-square-feet or use more than 1,200 watts of electricity.
If non-compliant cultivation is found, the measure states that the plants can be subject to a “summary abatement” notice, requiring the occupant to “abate the unlawful marijuana cultivation within five business days after the date that said notice is deemed served.”
Contact J. W. Burch, IV at 900-2022.
