Stop cannabis ordinance

EDITOR: The Mendocino County Planning Commission’s actions at its March 19 meeting proved they don’t listen to or care about Mendocino County citizens’ views on its disastrous proposed commercial cannabis ordinance.

This ordinance to allow large commercial cannabis operations without even an environmental review is a disastrous idea. The Mendocino Community Services District board declared a stage three drought condition that could turn into a stage four drought condition. The District recorded the second-lowest recorded rainfall in the past 100 years!

The Mendocino County Board of Supervisors declared a drought emergency after a historic run of dry weather throughout California. It has increased concerns over the water supply. The county’s Board of Supervisors on Tuesday voted unanimously to make the declaration, citing an “imminent threat of disaster” from drought conditions. So why are they trying to allow huge water-wasting cannabis operations?

98 percent of 408 letters to the Planning Commission opposed the proposed ordinance. The ordinance will only benefit large-scale growers, many of whom will be criminal Mexican and other large growers that are already breaking the law. Mendocino County doesn’t have the needed resources to regulate large-scale growers’ operations.

The measure is opposed by former sheriff Tom Allman, Sheriff Matt Kendall, the Round Valley County Water District and the Mendocino Cannabis Alliance among many others.

Write your County Supervisor and tell them to stop this ordinance. It will harm our small local growers, funnel money out of the county and harm our environment.

— Ed Oberweiser, Fort Bragg