County gets update on pot laws

On Tuesday, county staff will present the Board of Supervisors with an update on ongoing efforts to work with various stakeholders as they consider what type of local controls should be put in place.

Bordered by the coast and Bayfront, San Mateo County’s diversity is marked by lush agricultural lands as well as dense high-tech employment centers. And there are already varying regulations in place across the 21 cities and unincorporated areas making up San Mateo County. Although the county frequently leads local jurisdictions in creating unified policies on a variety of issues, disparities have blossomed when it comes to pot laws.

The discrepancies vary from the city of San Mateo’s stringent prohibiting on medicinal marijuana smoke in condominiums to Half Moon Bay looking at allowing commercial pot cultivation.

Tuesday’s study session will serve as an update to the varying viewpoints being considered, but no firm recommendations have been formed, said Assistant County Manager Mike Callagy.

“We’ve had several meetings with interested parties to see if we can fashion some kind of, not a uniform protocol, but a protocol that everyone can at least take part in. And we’re still working on that,” Callagy said.

Communities across California wishing to enact their own regulations have been encouraged to do so before the start of 2018 when the state is expected to begin issuing licenses for commercial operations. Those that don’t pass their own explicit restrictions could find themselves subject to state laws permitting cultivation, retail sales and outdoor residential growing.

The voter-approved legalization is expected to have widespread affects on a variety of county functions and departments. Even if supervisors ultimately opt not to permit commercial marijuana operations in unincorporated areas under their jurisdiction, the county may still have to support other communities that do.

“It will impact several departments from agriculture to environmental health, to our health department to our Sheriff’s Office. These are things that we’re working really collaboratively on to make sure we resolve all foreseeable issues,” Callagy said.

Coastside agriculture

Most of the Bayfront communities have opted to ban outdoor residential growing for personal use and prohibit commercial operations. However, regulating coastside agricultural lands could be where the county turns most of its focus.

The city of Half Moon Bay has welcomed the idea using legalized marijuana as a means to revitalize its waning greenhouse industry. International competition in the cut flowers business has wreaked havoc on many longtime farmers. The community will be asked to weigh in as officials draft an ordinance that could permit commercial pot growing in existing greenhouses, said Half Moon Bay Mayor Debbie Ruddock.

“Why not find a way to revitalize our nursery industry with a high cash-value crop? It’s definitely worth looking at and as we rely so much on the transient occupancy tax generated on the coastside, this gives us an opportunity to diversify our economy. That said, we don’t have stars in our eyes about this,” she said, adding they’ll look to “see this managed correctly and sustainably.”

While prioritizing consideration of marijuana’s agricultural value, she noted officials aren’t yet ready to dive into the more controversial possibilities such as dispensaries or allowing plants to be grown outdoors.

There’s a patchwork of jurisdictional control along the San Mateo County coastline with Half Moon Bay surrounded by unincorporated county territory. Although the city isn’t apparently willing to hedge its options solely on the county’s plans, Ruddock agreed some collaboration will be needed.

“The decision to go forward with greenhouse cultivation or not, that’s a big part of our economy and we’re going to reserve that decision. But certainly we’d like to coordinate on best practices and potentially work with the county on the issue of retail and dispensaries,” she said, adding they would be “reluctant to proceed with retail or say outdoor grows or dispensaries without understanding the larger social impacts which extend beyond the borders of the city limits.”

The county would undoubtedly have to be involved should a city proceed with legalizing commercial operations. For example, Half Moon Bay contracts with the county’s Sheriff’s Office for law enforcement, and the county’s Environmental Health Department would be responsible for enforcing anti-pollution regulations.

“Certainly, it would have an impact on our departments if any city instituted that,” Callagy said, noting the countywide jurisdiction of health, agricultural and environmental departments.

Direction sought

Last December, the board held a multi-hour study session on marijuana and heard from leaders of numerous departments. With lots to be considered, he said staff is returning to the board this Tuesday just with an update. Although it’s still not crystal clear when the state will begin licensing pot operations, Callagy noted county staff will seek some direction from supervisors on their efforts thus far.

“They’ll [eventually] consider all those things from manufacturing to cultivation to sales taxes,” Callagy said. “Right now, we’re just still at the exploratory stage.”

The Board of Supervisors meets 9 a.m. Tuesday, July 11 at 400 County Center, Redwood City. 

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