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Update Following the May 18th Planning Commission Hearing
On May 18, 2023, the Mendocino County Planning Commission voted 3-0 to make no recommendation to the Mendocino County Board of Supervisors on the establishment of a Cannabis Prohibition (CP) zoning designation in part of Redwood Valley. The Mendocino County Board of Supervisors will hold a hearing on the matter to make a final decision on this proposed zoning designation on Tuesday, July 25, 2023. Please check back for updates, including the Board’s meeting agenda and anticipated hearing start time.
From the article: “On Thursday, May 18, the Mendocino County Planning Commission will weigh in on a cannabis prohibition zone (cp zone) proposal regarding an area in Redwood Valley. The boundaries of the proposed cp zone would include two existing cultivations sites and one that is in the application process. The operational cannabis sites, both owned by the same cultivator, have no complaints against them filed with the county, according to their attorneys from the Emerald Law Group. In fact, they state, the farm has been deemed exemplary by inspectors. Yet an opt-out option given to neighborhoods at the start of legalization now jeopardizes the minority cultivator’s livelihood should the Planning Commission send the proposal on to the Board of Supervisors for approval.”
Read the full article by clicking here.
Listen to the full radio interview by clicking here
(length of interview: 7 minutes 48 seconds)
Redwood Valley’s Proposed Cannabis Prohibition Zone Intended to Fight Nuisance Grows Could Catch Legal Cannabis Farmers in the Dragnet, MendoFever News
May 15, 2023
From the article: “To get a look for ourselves at the Redwood Valley cultivation sites facing displacement by the proposed prohibition zone, we arranged a tour of the properties with Attorney Kali Perkins. All three of these sites are located within well-established, working vineyards, which are also managed by the cannabis applicants.
We met with Ruben Ruiz, of BayPharms Incorporated, the licensee for the two sites on Road D. These two sites were neat and clean. There were a few workers engaged in adding a lattice strip to the top of the fence so that the hoop houses would not be visible from the road. There were no dogs in sight. Ruben is a family man and has three young children. These sites have never received any code enforcement notices of violation.
Ruiz has planted lavender around the outer perimeter of the fence in hopes of mitigating the smell of cannabis. The strains currently under cultivation are bred to have a fruity smell, rather than the skunky-diesel odor that many people find objectionable. The odor of the plants, which were beginning to flower, was barely noticeable when standing right next to the hoop house.
Ruiz’s property is beautiful, with a heritage pond, used for the vineyard only, full of turtles, frogs, and ducks. There is a well on each parcel. This property is also a customer of Redwood Valley County Water District and receives ag water. Water use is measured and metered and must comply with requirements from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and the State Water Resources Control Board. Pesticides are compliant with OMRI (Organic Materials Review Institute) standards.”
You can read the full article on the MendoFever website by clicking here.