Cannabis: A local twist on Aesop’s fable

I was reminded recently of the Aesop Fable “City Mouse, Country Mouse” but with a Santa Cruz County twist.

I’m the Country Mouse having moved to a rural neighborhood for its character - rural, quiet and I thought, protected. However, recently an out-ofcounty cannabis organization has applied for a license for 220,000 square feet of industrial-style grow warehouses within our neighborhood. City homes are protected from this type of industry but last month the County Board of Supervisors decided not to provide the same protection to rural families. Three supervisors (Koenig, Coonerty and McPherson) sided with the out-of-county cannabis operators rather than honoring their promise to protect neighborhoods. So in a Santa Cruz twist of the Aesop tale, the City Mouse is safe while the Country Mouse is being preyed on.

But in the end we are all mice or actually people and we share the same desires to feel safe at home. And while my neighborhood has its own characteristics, it is quite similar to urban neighborhoods in that:

• About 10% of our homes are rental properties, providing opportunities for young families to live here.

• We have a few Airbnbs providing vacation opportunities in South County where there are few lodging options.

• A good portion of the homes are clustered on two residential style streets.

• And like lots of urban neighborhoods, we have our own local daycare and an active neighborhood watch.

• But unlike urban neighborhoods, we have to maintain our own roads and our own water system and we do not have sidewalks or streetlights but have narrow country lanes which allows for a multitude of animals who live here or pass through. We have deer, bobcats, foxes, raccoons, skunks, squirrels, owls, hawks and even the occasional mountain lion.

Because of our self-reliance, we readily come together to address neighborhood issues such as road repairs, fire watch, emergency response and more.

The diversity of age, backgrounds, employment, and so many other factors brings strength to our community. Our neighbors include teachers, nurses, firefighters, retirees and others. Our zoning allows for animals that are not welcomed in city settings such as horses, sheep, and chickens and farm operations like large scale bee operations and pumpkin patches.

And while our property taxes might not equal the taxes from a cannabis operation, we all live, shop, dine, and recreate here in Santa Cruz County (and not to mention, vote).

Before you think that we are simply NIMBYs — not wanting development in our backyards — we already have two cannabis greenhouses nearby. The issue isn’t cannabis — the problem is the size of the proposed operations. We have been told the amount of infrastructure needed to operate this development will be the equivalent to the equipment to run three large warehouse stores — all this within a few yards of family homes, a daycare center, a State Park and an endangered species reserve.

Would a 220,000-squarefoot industrial building be placed in the center of a city neighborhood? This country mouse thinks not. So why is it acceptable in the heart of my community? Are not all mice (i.e. people) equal and deserving of the same protections?

Supervisors Friend and Caput live in and represent south Santa Cruz County. They understand the need to protect rural neighbors equally as the urban ones.

It is discouraging that some of our county supervisors do not appreciate their constituents and the county-wide diversity in communities. With or without our county supervisors’ support, my neighbors and I have vowed to fight for our community to ensure that it is not ripped apart at its core by misplaced industrial operations.