Pubdate: Mon, 15 Aug 2016
Source: Porterville Recorder (CA)
Copyright: 2016 Freedom Communications Inc.
Contact: http://mapinc.org/url/AJm5UIc8
Website: http://www.recorderonline.com
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2887

EXTENDING MARIJUANA ORDINANCE CONSIDERED

County Looking at Continued Enforcement

County supervisors are being asked on Tuesday to extend the county 
ordinance prohibiting medical marijuana collectives, cooperatives or 
businesses.

Extending that ordinance, which was first passed in 2013 then 
extended in 2015, will be the subject of a public hearing at 9:30 
a.m. Tuesday in the board chambers in Visalia.

The recommendation before the supervisors is to once again extend the 
ban, a decision sure to come under fire from those medical marijuana 
proponents.

In the staff report it notes several legislative and regulatory 
changes to marijuana laws and the pending ballot measures which will 
ask statewide voters to legalize marijuana for recreational use.

However, the report also points out the dangers the growing and 
selling of marijuana still poses to public safety.

"The Tulare County Sheriff's Department has continued to see an 
increase in the illegal cultivation of marijuana and crimes 
associated with marijuana," notes the staff report. It states that 
during fiscal 2015-16, the sheriff's office investigated 208 
marijuana grow sites, made 186 arrests, eradicated 255,176 plants and 
seized more than $500,000 in marijuana-related assets.

In addition, the staff reports notes an increase interest from people 
seeking information about commercial cannabis licenses and they have 
uncovered two attempts to set up cooperatives or indoor grow sites in 
violation of the county's ordinance.

Also, the county said the Ag Commissioner's office has been contacted 
by two sets of investors inquiring about using ag property for the 
growing of marijuana. "The illegal and unregulated cultivation of 
marijuana in the County currently threatens the welfare of County 
residents because of the strain on natural and public resources," 
states the staff report.

In another matter, supervisors will be asked to approve a contract to 
begin work on the newly dug municipal water well on West Olive Avenue 
at the Tule River which will enable the city to supply water to East 
Porterville residents.

The well was drilled a year ago and its connection to the city's 
water system has been delayed for months. Supervisors will be asked 
to award a contract for $1.1 million to finish the well project which 
includes running a new water line from the well site to the city's 
water line at Westwood Street.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom