Besieged by Cannabis Cultivation
Supervisors Should Freeze Activity Until Issues Are Resolved
It was perplexing but not entirely surprising to read, one of our supervisors attempting to discredit Ann Louise Bardach, who is a respected, PEN Award-winning author and journalist. This prompted me to respond:
As a result of incompetent, “cart-before-the-horse” (Supervisor Peter Adam’s remark) tactics and due to the majority of the supervisors’ at best naïve, at worst unethical, regulation of cannabis cultivation, our communities are besieged by a proliferation of commercial cannabis developers. Officials’ misguided support of the cannabis industry has allowed an unbridled horse to run wild.
As long-term resident and advocate of Tepusquet Community, I have helped found the Santa Barbara Coalition for Responsible Cannabis and have been instrumentally involved in supporting other, supportive groups. I encouraged the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors to adopt staff’s prudent and protective recommendations. Many people, including me, warned the BOS, years ago, that if they didn’t acknowledge countywide concerns and staff’s wisdom, they would be facing lawsuits as, apparently, they are.
