CLEARLAKE >> The outdoor growing season for marijuana is rapidly approaching. The Clearlake Police Department warns that over the next few weeks, citizens may be approached by individuals involved in the growing of marijuana asking permission to plant and cultivate marijuana on your property.
According to CPD Lt. Tim Celli, such arrangements by cause issues. These individuals may offer to pay your property taxes, offer large sums of money at the end of the growing season, or other methods of payment for the use of your property. The police department wants to warn citizens of this because this is illegal in the City of Clearlake. Also in past years several citizens have reported being threatened by individuals when requesting payment.
Often, individuals who are involved in these illegal grows have no intention of paying for the use of property, Celli noted. These large scale grows cause significant damage to property and have the potential to attract criminal violence.
Property owners who allow grows on their property may also be subject to civil and criminal penalties.
There is currently an ordinance in affect that requires individuals to apply for a permit to grow medicinal marijuana in the City of Clearlake. Information on the permit process can be located at the City of Clearlake website at www.clearlake.ca.us or at City Hall. Additionally, marijuana ordinance information has been disbursed to local businesses that deal with medicinal marijuana, such as the dispensaries and business involved in hydroponics.
This ordinance will be enforced by the Code Enforcement Department.
The Clearlake Police Department has no interest in legal medicinal marijuana grows that are in compliance with the city ordinance. Celli reports that the department does, however, highly recommend any citizen desiring to grow medicinal marijuana follow the permit process or risk code violations and civil penalties through Code Enforcement.
Illegal commercial marijuana grows will be investigated by police personnel. The CPD emphasizes that individuals that want to involve themselves in illegal commercial (for profit) growing of marijuana should be warned that this type of activity will not be tolerated in the City of Clearlake and officials will take the necessary steps to investigate, enforce the law and submit cases for prosecution.
