Editor:
I attended the Nov. 14 presentation of Measure A at the Cal Poly Humboldt emeritus faculty meeting at Baywood (NCJ Daily, Nov. 16). The presentation included proponents of Measure A, plus the executive director of the Humboldt County Growers Alliance and Planning Commissioner Noah Levy presenting views of how Measure A would affect the county.
Measure A is attempting to solve old problems. It may have been interesting in 2005, but it’s old news.
The world moved on, in 2016 California citizens approved legal cannabis. The state, county and cities in Humboldt, and around California, spent years in public meetings, taking input regarding cannabis from many citizens and agencies — including, but not limited to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, state water boards, California Department of Tax and Fee Administration, California Department of Justice, California Department of Agriculture, etc.
State rules and taxes for legal cannabis have been active for six or seven years, as have rules and taxes set by the counties and cities. Legal cannabis business are regulated, especially in water use, yet thankfully sustainable practices like water storage, rainwater catchment and solar power are supported. Cannabis regulations are not lenient.
Measure A received a negative reaction by the Humboldt County Planning Department, board of supervisors, planning commissioners, county counsel, the sheriff’s department and legal cannabis growers. It seemed the proponents didn’t understand all the hard work, by hundreds of people, that went into drafting state, county and city rules governing cannabis.
Measure A hinders sustainability, making it complicated for farms to enhance operations with solar power, water storage and development support structures like bathrooms, storage sheds, packaging houses, etc., as many agricultural enterprises employ.
Measure A locks the county into practices that can only be voted out by citizens who may not understand the nuance of the industry/business they are affecting. It’s bad county policy and bad for sustainable business.
Susan Ornelas, Arcata
This article appears in Flash Fiction 2023.