The escalating political tug of war erupting over Santa
Barbara’s emerging cannabis industry got a few more yanks this past week with
the Santa Barbara County Planning Commission soundly rejecting the first appeal
that body has heard challenging the validity of a land-use permit that had been
issued to a cannabis operator. In this case, the Planning Commission voted 4-to-1
to deny the appeal of land-use permits issued earlier this year to Graham
Farrar, the principal behind five greenhouses — which would occupy 356,000
square feet when built — at 3561 Foothill Road in Carpinteria.
County planners issued the permits to the farm — G&K
Farm/K&G Flower — on March 15. The issue dominating the Planning Commission
debate was the adequacy of the odor-control system installed and what the
county’s role should be in ensuring that they functioned as promised. Although
the commissioners upheld Farrar’s permits, they also voted to tighten up the
county’s regulatory language where odor-control issues are concerned.
Under existing language, compliance inspections would be
triggered if there were three complaints filed. At that point, the county
cultivator could order the grower to make necessary changes or be shut down.
Under the new language adopted by the Planning Commission, the county will hire
a private industrial hygienist — at the growers’ expense — to conduct regularly
scheduled inspections to ensure odor pollution is not occurring.