Oct 1 2024 Newsletter - Outdoor Cannabis- A losing proposition for all of us
October 1, 2024
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Outdoor Cannabis – A Losing Proposition For Us All
Sonoma County’s annual Crop Report underscores the obvious conclusion that outdoor cannabis is a losing proposition for the County and its residents. The Sept 10th report exposed the continued three-year downward spiral in outdoor cultivation with a 31% reduction of acreage under cultivation. Meanwhile, without expanding its acreage footprint and while occupying only 6% of the space of outdoors, indoor cultivation brought in almost 11 times the revenue value per acre, all without violating the environment and the health of County residents. These numbers validate the independent economic analysis commissioned by the County in 2022 (HdL, Fiscal Analysis of the Commercial Cannabis Cultivation Industry) which concluded outdoor cannabis is not and will not become a viable business, nor will it ever deliver the tax revenue promised by the Supervisors and its advocates.
Program Revenue and Cost debacle: Remember 2017, and the memorable “Pot for Potholes” campaign for Measure A? Advocates promised Sonoma County approval of Measure A would produce cannabis taxes “to fund essential county services such as addressing industry impacts, public safety, fire, health, housing, roads, and environmental protection.” Now the curtain has been pulled back to reveal the stark reality – not only are there none of the promised tax revenues from outdoor cannabis, but the cannabis program doesn’t even pay for its own direct costs. Since Measure A’s approval, the Supervisors passed three tax breaks for outdoor cultivation, resulting in a precipitous reduction of 66% in taxes, with rates tumbling from $2.00 to a paltry $.69 per square foot. In the meantime, indoor cultivation continues to pay the County a hefty $7.58 per square foot for its clean, non-intrusive production. The unanswered question remains – why does the County continue to prop up the failing business of outdoor cannabis and refuse to limit cannabis businesses to indoor production?
County Ordinance Update Response
Currently the County and Permit Sonoma are drafting an updated cannabis ordinance and going through the EIR process. Inexplicably, Permit Sonoma continues to encourage outdoor cultivation in agricultural areas even though the economic and environmental evidence shows the fallacy of this policy. The Neighborhood Coalition provided Permit Sonoma with a detailed analysis of Outdoor Cultivation issues , a separate report on the pros and cons of indoor verse outdoor cultivation, and a simple table comparing the two. The results clearly demonstrate indoor cultivation is more water-efficient, less harmful to the environment, and poses fewer risks to public safety and health. In contrast, outdoor cultivation depletes water resources, uses harmful pesticides, and poses a public health threat to surrounding neighborhoods because of harmful air-borne substances, noxious odors, and increased crime, noise, and traffic. No other Bay Area county permits outdoor cultivation, so why do we?
In the December 2023 public meeting on the proposed update, Permit Sonoma discussed Indoor vs Outdoor Cultivation as a vital component of its “effort to improve compatibility between cannabis land uses and the neighborhoods they are located within or near.” Yet, in a completely contradictory statement, said, “Cannabis cultivation outdoors is encouraged over cultivation in fully enclosed structures in agricultural areas to protect and conserve agricultural soils for agricultural production.”
The drafting of the updated cannabis ordinance presents a critical juncture in the evolution of the County’s identity, from a cultural as well as an agricultural perspective. Our Coalition submits cannabis production should be confined to indoor cultivation and outdoor cannabis production should be eliminated. If outdoor cultivation is permitted, at a minimum, we are advocating for significantly tightened regulations with the banning of new outdoor permits, and requiring existing outdoor operations comply with all current permitting requirements and applicable health and safety laws. We believe these requirements are necessary for the preservation of the public health of County residents and for the economic and environmental health of the County
What’s Next?
Take action - DONATE TODAY. We need your help to rein in the Supervisors’ continued and inexplicable infatuation with outdoor cannabis cultivation, and to preserve our county’s health, beauty, and the viability of our rural neighborhoods.
This campaign to preserve what we hold near and dear is expensive. Your tax-deductible donation will fund technical experts and research that are critical to our effort to require the County protect our environment, children, and the health and safety of our neighborhoods. The County has viable options. It’s our goal to enlighten them about those better choices.
The Neighborhood Coalition is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, volunteer-based, dedicated to advocating for proper land-use policies that benefit the community. All donations support these efforts.
You can also mail a check to:
Sonoma Neighborhood Coalition PO Box 1229 Sebastopol, CA 95473
Thank you for your support and donation.
The Neighborhood Coalition team