5k) Discussion and Possible Action Including Review, Adoption, Amendment, Consideration or Ratification of Legislation Pursuant to the Adopted Legislative Platform
(Sponsor: Executive Office)
Given the current issues we face with our county cannabis program and the State provisional license ticking clock, I urge this Board to start engaging the State with lobbying efforts to extend the Provisional License deadline. Even if we switch to a discretionary review process, many applicants will still not be processed in time before provisional licenses expire. We must lobby now to have any chance at getting this to change. Another thing I believe the County should lobby the State about is allowing licensed cannabis businesses to be eligible for fire insurance for their homes and land. Currently I am not eligible for the California Fair Plan. I don't qualify because I have a cannabis farm. Sure doesn't seem fair to me. There are also state grants for landowners for land management focused on fire prevention, which I personally looked into for our Forest Land zoned parcel in 2018. I was ineligible because of our licensed cannabis farm. Something is seriously wrong with our system. I was evacuated for 1 month because of the August Complex Fire. Thankfully the winds stayed in our favor and our place was spared. Our land will face fire again. Next time I may not be so lucky to escape it. We need to start having a serious conversation with lawmakers to lift these arbitrary restrictions on licensed cannabis businesses that should not be discriminated against. When will our $5.8 million dollars in county tax revenue mean something to everyone? When will be treated equally? I don't want to lose my home, my garden, my family, or my life to a fire that will one day reach us. Especially if there are programs to help provide protection or prevention measures. Please Mendocino County, help bridge the gap and start this conversation before it's too late.
Given the current issues we face with our county cannabis program and the State provisional license ticking clock, I urge this Board to start engaging the State with lobbying efforts to extend the Provisional License deadline. Even if we switch to a discretionary review process, many applicants will still not be processed in time before provisional licenses expire. We must lobby now to have any chance at getting this to change. Another thing I believe the County should lobby the State about is allowing licensed cannabis businesses to be eligible for fire insurance for their homes and land. Currently I am not eligible for the California Fair Plan. I don't qualify because I have a cannabis farm. Sure doesn't seem fair to me. There are also state grants for landowners for land management focused on fire prevention, which I personally looked into for our Forest Land zoned parcel in 2018. I was ineligible because of our licensed cannabis farm. Something is seriously wrong with our system. I was evacuated for 1 month because of the August Complex Fire. Thankfully the winds stayed in our favor and our place was spared. Our land will face fire again. Next time I may not be so lucky to escape it. We need to start having a serious conversation with lawmakers to lift these arbitrary restrictions on licensed cannabis businesses that should not be discriminated against. When will our $5.8 million dollars in county tax revenue mean something to everyone? When will be treated equally? I don't want to lose my home, my garden, my family, or my life to a fire that will one day reach us. Especially if there are programs to help provide protection or prevention measures. Please Mendocino County, help bridge the gap and start this conversation before it's too late.