Supes eye marijuana businesses

Staff is recommending the board adopt an ordinance to allow indoor cultivation in a limited area of the coast, while banning medicinal and recreational commercial operations elsewhere.

Like most controversial issues, there’s a range of opinions on competing sides of the issue. A number of farmers whose businesses are struggling have pushed for the opportunity to grow pot, while a contingency of residents are urging officials to wait before taking the plunge into uncharted territory.

The county has been studying the issue for about a year after voters approved Proposition 64, and has considered a range of issues from safety concerns to agricultural benefits. On Tuesday, three items related to marijuana are on the agenda, including a draft ordinance that would allow farmers to grow plants inside greenhouses under certain conditions.

Assistant County Manager Mike Callagy said the proposed ordinance is prescriptive and includes a variety of requirements meant to address safety, environmental and neighborhood concerns.  

“This is kind of a toe in the water. It’s very restrictive, very small in direction as far as cultivation,” Callagy said.

Under the proposal, only indoor growing in greenhouses would be allowed. The site must be zoned agriculture and includes unincorporated coastal areas such as Pescadero, Montara, El Granada and certain lots along State Route 92. The parcels must be set back at least 1,000 feet from residential lots, as well as schools, playgrounds or youth centers. Businesses must also have security systems, such as video surveillance, in place and there are detailed operational requirements regulating odors, noise, waste management, energy and water use. The ordinance sets up a regulatory board with county staff from planning, agriculture and environmental health departments, Callagy explained.

Supporters contend the proposal could help revive dwindling agricultural businesses that have struggled under steep international competition, particularly in the greenhouse cut flower industry. But in an effort to address concerns about pot overpowering the market, Callagy said the ordinance prohibits the displacement of existing agricultural production. Meaning, if a grower opts to try their hand at pot where say flowers are currently grown, at a minimum they must replace the existing agricultural production on another area of their property.

The proposal does not allow for other commercial operations such as testing, manufacturing or distribution. However, depending on the board’s direction, staff is prepared to further investigate those options, Callagy said.

On Tuesday, supervisors will also consider two extensions of current bans on commercial medicinal and recreational marijuana operations, which are slated to expire next week. Those bans will serve as a stopgap should supervisors decide to proceed with the greenhouse ordinance that will require a second reading before going into effect.

Community concerns

Half Moon Bay’s City Council was previously on track to allowing commercial cultivation when residents became more involved. In a petition that’s garnered hundreds of signatures, coastside residents are asking the city and county to hold off and wait to see how it plays out for other California communities.

Rick Southern, a parent on Half Moon Bay High School’s Health and Wellness Committee, is urging caution as local governments head into unknown territory. Planning to attend the supervisors meeting, Southern noted concerns cross-jurisdictional boundaries.

“We’d all like to see them continue the moratorium so that both the city and county have an opportunity to get a better look at what’s actually happening in other areas in California that have allowed the kinds of policies they’re contemplating here,” Southern said.

Concerns include youth being exposed to marijuana, safety issues, as well as quality of life impacts such as with odor. Southern said he’s also heard from those familiar with the local workforce who cite fears pot growers who pay higher wages might put traditional farmers out of business by dwindling the already limited labor pool.

Incremental steps

Callagy said the idea is to start with the incremental step of allowing indoor cultivation in limited areas and deter displacement of traditional agriculture. He noted the county and community could then have the opportunity to step back and re-examine how the ordinance is working and determine if further changes are needed.

Depending on what the board decides Tuesday, the county could start accepting applications in the new year. Ultimately, a state license is also required and it is expected approvals would take several months.

Half Moon Bay is now leaning toward potentially allowing inside greenhouses cultivation of starter plants — which don’t emit odor like full-grown plants. But the city has put off a decision for later in 2018 and may ultimately go back to voters for a decision on whether to allow other types of cultivation or commercial operations.

State law

Proposition 64 legalized recreational use of marijuana for adults 21 years and older. It allows individuals to grow up to six plants for personal use, and leaves local governments control over whether to allow commercial operations.

Callagy said the county has been diligent in looking at a wide breadth of factors related to how Proposition 64 will roll out across California and San Mateo County.

“This is one of the biggest developments in this area of controlled substance that dates back to the end of prohibition. We wanted to make sure we took very defined steps, that we included the community, included stakeholders all along the way to get input, knowing that you’re never going to have an ordinance that pleases everybody,” Callagy said. “We really took painstaking time to make sure we looked at this from all aspects.”

The Board of Supervisors meets 9 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 5 at 400 County Center, Redwood City.

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