Friends of Graton: More to come
FOG Update – Draft Cannabis Ordinance Released
The Preliminary Draft Cannabis Ordinance and Subsequent Mitigated Negative Declaration (Environmental Study) was released last night and is now available here: https://sonomacounty.ca.gov/Cannabis-Program/
We have not read this yet, but when we do we will be sending out a recap and suggestions for writing the County. We believe that this will go before the Planning Commission some time in March and before the Board of Supervisors some time in April. There are many eyes on this right now to see what, if any, neighborhood protections have been incorporated into this newest permutation of the ordinance.
Santa Barbara County has been struggling with an out-of-control cannabis industry and a corrupt county government. Here are two links: https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-02-14/carpinteria-pot-farm-accused-of-selling-on-black-market and https://www.independent.com/2020/09/23/santa-barbara-supervisors-reject-grand-jurys-cannabis-report/
Meanwhile, below is a good letter about cannabis tourism from Sunday 1/31:
Say no to canna-tourism
EDITOR: Sonoma County supervisors will be voting on the cannabis ordinance soon, and they are considering removal of the current cannabis-tourism prohibition. Please write your supervisor and demand that the county retain and actually enforce the ban on cannabis on-site hospitality activities. Request that the county uphold Ordinance No. 6245, Section 26-88-250 (c) (5), which states: “Tasting, promotional activities, and events related to commercial cannabis activities are prohibited.”
Before further endangering public safety by adding more inebriated drivers to our rural byways, Sonoma County officials need to address current tourist-related traffic problems, including the county’s higher than average accident rate and DUI- related fatality rate.
Sonoma County’s traffic analyses, released in November 2019, concluded that future travel conditions will worsen. And as more roads operate below acceptable levels, safety hazards and accident rates will increase. The reports also found significantly higher peak-season accident rates — especially from 1 p.m-6 p.m. on weekends — indicators that tourists’ autos and bicycles play a role in increased accident rates.
The safety of rural residents and tourists has been jeopardized by unregulated alcohol tourism. Let’s not make the same mistakes and expect a different outcome with the cannabis industry.
J.O., Healdsburg