Chair Gjerde and Members of the Board;
1. I support direction to staff regarding Sensitive Species Habitat Review and the Mitigated Negative Declaration for Chapter 10A.17. The intent and the legal effect of the MND was to evaluate all cannabis cultivation, legal and illegal, occurring in Mendocino County as of August 27, 2016. The MND correctly concluded that cannabis cultivation operations established as of January 1, 2016 would not have a significant impact on the environment if they were limited to 10,000 square feet of canopy and complied with the mitigations of the MND and the requirements of 10.A17.
2. I support direction to staff regarding an amendment to allow Sunset cultivators in proximity to the Coastal Zone to apply to relocate. The need to do this does arises from the successful efforts of John Haschak to stall adoption of a Phase 3 ordinance and not from any confusion at the time of extending the sunset as stated in the Agenda Summary.
3. I support SB59 but extending Provisional Licenses out to July 1, 2028 is excessive unless an effort is made to assess which of the current applicants have a realistic change of obtaining a State Annual License. Please consider, at least on a local level, requiring that all applicants in Mendocino County be required to 1) Apply for, obtain and comply with a State Provisional License; 2) Submit a complete application to the County; 3) Show proof of a sustainable water source.
Thank you for considering these comments.
John McCowen
Chair Gjerde and Members of the Board;
1. I support direction to staff regarding Sensitive Species Habitat Review and the Mitigated Negative Declaration for Chapter 10A.17. The intent and the legal effect of the MND was to evaluate all cannabis cultivation, legal and illegal, occurring in Mendocino County as of August 27, 2016. The MND correctly concluded that cannabis cultivation operations established as of January 1, 2016 would not have a significant impact on the environment if they were limited to 10,000 square feet of canopy and complied with the mitigations of the MND and the requirements of 10.A17.
2. I support direction to staff regarding an amendment to allow Sunset cultivators in proximity to the Coastal Zone to apply to relocate. The need to do this does arises from the successful efforts of John Haschak to stall adoption of a Phase 3 ordinance and not from any confusion at the time of extending the sunset as stated in the Agenda Summary.
3. I support SB59 but extending Provisional Licenses out to July 1, 2028 is excessive unless an effort is made to assess which of the current applicants have a realistic change of obtaining a State Annual License. Please consider, at least on a local level, requiring that all applicants in Mendocino County be required to 1) Apply for, obtain and comply with a State Provisional License; 2) Submit a complete application to the County; 3) Show proof of a sustainable water source.
Thank you for considering these comments.
John McCowen