Jan 13 2025 Newsletter - Sonoma County Neighborhood Compatiablity score

The Scorecard Continues – This Time the County Fails the Subject of Neighborhood Compatibility

As we reported in our last newsletter, The Public Health Institute (PHI) issues scorecards of cannabis policies annually and Sonoma County’s Cannabis policy failed every subject. A similar failing grade would issue if the County were graded about the key issue of neighborhood compatibility.

So why should we be worried? The Board of Supervisors instructed Permit Sonoma to address neighborhood compatibility in the next cannabis Environmental Impact Report. In a direct rebuke of those instructions, Permit Sonoma’s proposals rendered them meaningless.  The draft proposal released in July 2024 contained nothing to improve neighborhood compatibility and, shockingly included multiple elements that exacerbate the compatibility problems. This, in the face of multiple and thoughtful community suggestions as to how to improve compatibility between cannabis cultivators and their neighbors.

While repeatedly claiming "neighborhood compatibility is the top priority," Permit Sonoma’s proposals contradict that mantra as follows:

1.  Shrinking property setbacks (closer to homes) and smaller eligible parcel sizes
2.  Rejecting all input regarding neighborhood enclaves and exclusion zones
3.  Supporting incompatible events and activities (up to 104 yearly events) in rural areas
4.  Promoting an unlimited number of dispensary consumption lounges
5.  Allowing retail sales at rural cultivation sites
6.  Removing the health and safety provision in the current ordinance
7.  Allowing industrial manufacturing at all permitted grow sites  
8. “Grandfathering” all current permits and applications
9. Allowing hundreds of cannabis tourist cafes and consumption events in rural areas

The Revised Draft presents a radical shift in the County’s idyllic rural identity by endorsing and encouraging consumption at grow sites, large scale cannabis events, and cafes in rural areas. Not only would these events diminish Sonoma County’s primary asset – its rural character – they would create public safety issues and hazards including customers driving under the influence on our narrow rural roads and importing the undisputed risks of violent crime at outdoor cultivation sites and dispensaries.

Permit Sonoma’s draft violates its so-called guiding light, the notion of “ensuring neighborhood compatibility.” Instead, it fans the cannabis flames, thereby guaranteeing increased neighborhood hostility and animosity. The Board should be insulted by the lack of even a token effort by Permit Sonoma to follow its explicit direction – namely, to improve neighborhood compatibility. Without our challenging the Board to require Permit /Sonoma to do the job it was assigned, we are concerned that the issue of neighborhood compatibility will blow up in smoke. We can’t let that happen

What Are Our Recommendations?

- Support our efforts to require the Board to adopt policies that truly promote the Board of Supervisors stated goal of “Neighborhood Compatibility.”-Communicate directly to the Board about the priority of neighborhood compatibility in their decision-making and object to Permit Sonoma’s failure to make neighborhood compatibility their guiding light as they were directed.

HOW CAN YOU HELP?

Our campaign to preserve what we all hold near and dear needs your support. Your tax-deductible donation will fund technical experts and our legal team that are critical to our effort to require the County to protect our environment, children, and the health and safety of our neighborhoods.

The Neighborhood Coalition is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, volunteer-based, dedicated to advocating for proper cannabis and land-use policies that benefit the community. All donations support these efforts.

You can donate online , or you can mail a check to:

Sonoma Neighborhood Coalition
PO Box 1229
Sebastopol, CA 95473

Thank you for your support and donation.
The Neighborhood Coalition team