The City of Goleta, the City of Santa Barbara, and the county are poised to quickly adopt ordinances prohibiting commercial cultivation of medical marijuana next month to get ahead of impending statewide regulations.
In October, Governor Jerry Brown signed a package of bills — known as the Medical Marijuana Regulation and Safety Act — to govern the cultivation, transportation, and distribution of medical cannabis to qualified patients.
Among the host of rules, qualified patients will be able to grow as many marijuana plants as can fit in 100 square feet. That’s enough to produce about 140 pounds of marijuana a year, according to Santa Barbara City Attorney Ariel Calonne, with a street value of an estimated $500,000. Caregivers could grow for up to five patients.