On April 6, supervisors approved 4-1 a sweeping medical marijuana policy prohibiting growth within 1,000 feet of schools, churches or bus stops, tying the number of plants that can be grown to parcel size and requiring medical marijuana growers to register their gardens with the county Health Services Agency.
The Tuesday vote would not set the fee, but could establish a May 4 public hearing where the board would consider the fee.
Sample registration papers indicate growers would be required to disclose the number of their plants, the names of everyone on the lease, all qualified cannabis patients receiving the marijuana, their medical recommendations and a notarized letter from the property owner if the applicants rent.
County documents indicate the fee would just fall short of covering the cost of staff processing registration, which is estimated to be $40.37 per garden.
As a complaint-driven policy, the ordinance is only supposed to come into play if someone contacts the county, and will be enforced at the discretion of responding sheriff's deputies.
When enforced, growers will have two weeks to either appeal to supervisors or comply. At the end of those 14 days, the county could enter the property, destroy the garden and charge the owner for the removal.
Medical marijuana advocates have fought the measure, though meetings have been roughly divided between speakers in favor of the measure and those against it.
Supervisors meet at 10 a.m. Tuesdays at 727 Oak St. More information is available by calling 527- 4655 or visiting co.tehama.ca.us.
Source: Tehama County Daily News
Posts
