Sonoma County wants to be a mecca for outdoor cannabis cultivation, boasting that people prefer Sonoma County weed because of soil and climate. Yet they bring in external soil, discard spent soil, and shield plants from our natural climate in hoop houses or greenhouses. The proposed new ordinance will attract big players from out of state. Do we want 20+ acre mega grows like in Santa Barbara and Humboldt Counties, outcompeting our local growers?
No other Bay Area county allows outdoor cannabis cultivation for good reasons. Odor can drift thousands of feet, impacting wineries and requiring neighbors to remain indoors with windows closed. 24/7 commercial activity with many workers further destroys neighborhoods, and fields of white plastic hoop houses mar our hillsides. This is in addition to huge negative environmental impacts of extensive water and electrical usage, and increased traffic and people in high fire prone areas.
Our county can do much better in revising its cannabis ordinance to streamline for local growers, protect residents, environment and visual impacts, by conducting a proper EIR to determine suitable areas and conditions for responsibly growing cannabis. Yet our Planning Commissioners want to accept this new ordinance acknowledging that environmental review is lacking.
AMEN !
It’s Not the Plant, folks……..it’s the Humans +Greed.
I detest the sight of a sea of plastic and fences…..some of the requirements per community, per county, state etc are overdone and need to be looked at.
Where I could previously drive thru an idyllic farming/ ranching community and see animals , plants and majestic trees, I see fences, mostly solid fencing.
Marijuana plants themselves are just as beautiful as a pear orchard , ripening vineyard, grazing animal pastures.
How long must we continue to hide them, IF they are a legitimate “crop” ? , in energy sustainable, gorgeous climate California, no less ??
AMEN !
It’s Not the Plant, folks……..it’s the Humans +Greed.
I detest the sight of a sea of plastic and fences…..some of the requirements per community, per county, state etc are overdone and need to be looked at.
Where I could previously drive thru an idyllic farming/ ranching community and see animals , plants and majestic trees, I see fences, mostly solid fencing.
Marijuana plants themselves are just as beautiful as a pear orchard , ripening vineyard, grazing animal pastures.
How long must we continue to hide them, IF they are a legitimate “crop” ? , in energy sustainable, gorgeous climate California, no less ??