San Andreas, CA…Dear Calaveras, I am publishing this letter after doing much research and inquiry into the pros and cons of the current proposed ban ordinance. This topic is extremely polarizing. On one end of the pole you have the “banners”, people who just don’t like it. On the other end you have the growers, legal and illegal, advocating for their right to cultivate. It’s controversial to say you support regulation because then you give the impression that you are a marijuana advocate. The fact is, you can be anti-marijuana and support regulation.

3\5 members of the Board of Supervisors ran and were elected on a ban platform. Upon taking office they replaced a permanent regulatory ordinance plan with a ban ordinance plan, neither of which have been formally adopted. The BOS has the final say so and is expected to vote soon. No date has been given. If the ban passes through the BOS it will be signed into law 30 days later. Legal growers will be given 90 days to abate and return their property to the original environmental condition it was in prior to cultivation. Legal meaning, growers who have complied with local laws and paid related fees. Illegal growers will not be affected; the majority of grows in our community are illegal. These grows are where the bulk of the problems lie. Problems like pollution, noise, smell, gangs, etc. Banning marijuana doesn’t actually fix anything. The ban produces no solutions or alternative sources of income to provide the community with the resources it needs to eradicate illegal grows.

What Regulation does: Works out a resolution with individual supervisorial districts regarding land use. Potentially gets farms out of rural residential areas, allows for minimum setbacks and acreage stipulations. Persons in RR areas who grow could apply to have their property rezoned. Regulation allows the county to collect registration fees and taxes from registered growers. Totalling in the tens of millions (modestly). These monies can then be used by our local law enforcement to eradicate illegal operations, enforce code violations, and hire more law enforcement. As of today, we have 11 unfilled deputy positions and our officers get paid 27%
less than those in neighboring jurisdictions. Measure C funds (money from taxes on cannabis production) could be used to help fund public education and infrastructure projects. This income source can only exist through a regulatory ordinance. Regulation means economic prosperity, environmental protection, and public safety.

My hope is to engage a segment of the community that remains silent or disengaged. Speak up friends. We all have a stake in this! Feel free to contact me if you’d like to get involved. Just saying you support responsible regulation can help us band together. Don’t be afraid to say you support prosperity.

Sincerely, Sarah Kancianich
yellowearl123@gmail.com