Katelyn Baker
Well-Known Member
Scores of applicants for permits to grow commercial cannabis were lined up outside the Calaveras County government center in San Andreas on Tuesday, clutching sleek portfolios and loose sheaves of paperwork less than 72 hours ahead of the final cutoff to register as commercial growers.
"I think we have 500 right now and I predict between 600 and 700 by the end of the day on Thursday," said Planning Director Peter Maurer. Thursday at 4 p.m. is the deadline to turn in applications to be registered as a commercial cannabis grower in Calaveras County.
That more than doubles his estimate of 200 total registrants when the Board of Supervisors passed on urgency ordinance on May 10 to regulate medical cannabis production in Calaveras County.
"We're so busy that we're telling personal and caregiver growers to just stay away," Maurer said. "They can come back after the deadline. But for now we are absolutely slammed by commercial grow applicants."
He said that while the application was jammed, his tiny front office at the Planning Department was also filled with people signing up just to get in line. The process began in the Planning Department lobby and continued at the old court house, were applicants were called up to a table by name.
Those growers who don't register with the county by Thursday will be unable to get state permits. Without a permit, growers will not have access to a bar-code system run by state regulators that will track cannabis products from farm to store in the event marijuana is approved for recreational use.
The urgency ordinance to regulate Calaveras County medical cannabis production — both for commercial producers and personal and caregiver growers — requires a $5,000 registration fee for commercial farmers, along with a detailed and comprehensive application package.
When the board passed the ordinance, several supervisors, most of whom are normally impassive, displayed expressions of interest when Maurer suggested that if 200 people or firms registered that would mean $1 million delivered to the county coffers. By state law, the funds are limited to management, and law and code enforcement of the urgency ordinance.
Estimates of the final number of commercial registrants have grown steadily since mid-May. In mid-June, a planning department spokeswoman said she would not be surprised at 250 registrants and last week, Calaveras Cannabis Alliance president Caslin Tomaszewski suggested a final number could be between 400 and 500.
The alliance has provided a series five of compliance workshops for commercial growers; the first was on June 6 and final workshop was held on June 22 at the San Andreas Town Hall. On June 22, Tomaszewski talked nearly 40 people through the county application process line by line.
At 500 registrants, the county's revenue from permits jumps to $2.5 million. If Maurer's prediction is correct, 600 to 700 registered growers would raise between $3 million and $3.5 million.
"Some are coming in with checks, but I've been here since this morning and most are bringing cash," said Sheriff's Reserve Officer Jack Chew.
Meanwhile, on the county Elections Department on Monday announced that they had certified the necessary signatures to present a privately organized regulation proposal to the Board of Supervisors for consideration during their July 12 regular meeting. The board can choose to enact the ordinance at their meeting, or they can vote to place the measure on the November general election.
Measure principal Bardon Stevenot said Monday that the proposal combines elements from a cannabis law that failed to muster enough board votes in February and from the one that passed the board in May, and it also places a moratorium on all new commercial grows until 2018, requires a $500 county road fee from each grower and tightens planning code requirements.
At a special meeting last week, the Board of Supervisors voted to place a tax measure on the November ballot that would levy $2 per square foot on a farmer's cannabis grow canopy. The tax income would not be restricted to registration, but would go into the general fund to be distributed at the pleasure of the board.
Cannabis alliance board members suggested during an interview last week that a conservative estimate of yearly tax income could be $6 million, and that was for a list of less than 300 farmers. If Maurer's estimate is correct, and at least 600 are registered by the end of the day on Thursday, the county can expect a yearly additional tax income of $12 million.
News Moderator: Katelyn Baker 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Commercial Cannabis Growers Jam Calaveras County Government Center To Beat Deadline
Author: Terry Grillo
Contact: 209.754.3861
Photo Credit: Terry Grillo
Website: Calaveras Enterprise
"I think we have 500 right now and I predict between 600 and 700 by the end of the day on Thursday," said Planning Director Peter Maurer. Thursday at 4 p.m. is the deadline to turn in applications to be registered as a commercial cannabis grower in Calaveras County.
That more than doubles his estimate of 200 total registrants when the Board of Supervisors passed on urgency ordinance on May 10 to regulate medical cannabis production in Calaveras County.
"We're so busy that we're telling personal and caregiver growers to just stay away," Maurer said. "They can come back after the deadline. But for now we are absolutely slammed by commercial grow applicants."
He said that while the application was jammed, his tiny front office at the Planning Department was also filled with people signing up just to get in line. The process began in the Planning Department lobby and continued at the old court house, were applicants were called up to a table by name.
Those growers who don't register with the county by Thursday will be unable to get state permits. Without a permit, growers will not have access to a bar-code system run by state regulators that will track cannabis products from farm to store in the event marijuana is approved for recreational use.
The urgency ordinance to regulate Calaveras County medical cannabis production — both for commercial producers and personal and caregiver growers — requires a $5,000 registration fee for commercial farmers, along with a detailed and comprehensive application package.
When the board passed the ordinance, several supervisors, most of whom are normally impassive, displayed expressions of interest when Maurer suggested that if 200 people or firms registered that would mean $1 million delivered to the county coffers. By state law, the funds are limited to management, and law and code enforcement of the urgency ordinance.
Estimates of the final number of commercial registrants have grown steadily since mid-May. In mid-June, a planning department spokeswoman said she would not be surprised at 250 registrants and last week, Calaveras Cannabis Alliance president Caslin Tomaszewski suggested a final number could be between 400 and 500.
The alliance has provided a series five of compliance workshops for commercial growers; the first was on June 6 and final workshop was held on June 22 at the San Andreas Town Hall. On June 22, Tomaszewski talked nearly 40 people through the county application process line by line.
At 500 registrants, the county's revenue from permits jumps to $2.5 million. If Maurer's prediction is correct, 600 to 700 registered growers would raise between $3 million and $3.5 million.
"Some are coming in with checks, but I've been here since this morning and most are bringing cash," said Sheriff's Reserve Officer Jack Chew.
Meanwhile, on the county Elections Department on Monday announced that they had certified the necessary signatures to present a privately organized regulation proposal to the Board of Supervisors for consideration during their July 12 regular meeting. The board can choose to enact the ordinance at their meeting, or they can vote to place the measure on the November general election.
Measure principal Bardon Stevenot said Monday that the proposal combines elements from a cannabis law that failed to muster enough board votes in February and from the one that passed the board in May, and it also places a moratorium on all new commercial grows until 2018, requires a $500 county road fee from each grower and tightens planning code requirements.
At a special meeting last week, the Board of Supervisors voted to place a tax measure on the November ballot that would levy $2 per square foot on a farmer's cannabis grow canopy. The tax income would not be restricted to registration, but would go into the general fund to be distributed at the pleasure of the board.
Cannabis alliance board members suggested during an interview last week that a conservative estimate of yearly tax income could be $6 million, and that was for a list of less than 300 farmers. If Maurer's estimate is correct, and at least 600 are registered by the end of the day on Thursday, the county can expect a yearly additional tax income of $12 million.
News Moderator: Katelyn Baker 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Commercial Cannabis Growers Jam Calaveras County Government Center To Beat Deadline
Author: Terry Grillo
Contact: 209.754.3861
Photo Credit: Terry Grillo
Website: Calaveras Enterprise
