Ever-Bloom Tries to Clear the Air

Carpinteria Cannabis Greenhouse Gets Green Light for New Odor-Control Technology, but Critics Vow to Appeal

Near Carpinteria High School, seven cannabis projects, marked with red dots above, have been approved for permits or are under review at the county -- a total of 50 acres. Six of the projects are currently under cultivation on 36 acres. | Credit: Courtesy

One of the largest and smelliest cannabis greenhouse projects in the Carpinteria Valley, a close neighbor of Carpinteria High School and a flashpoint in the local pot wars, was unanimously approved by the county Planning Commission this month, amid hopes that an emerging technology from the Netherlands will give residents some lasting relief from the “skunky” stench of pot.

This chart explains the permit status for the sites on the map above. | Credit: Courtesy

The February 2 vote in favor of zoning permits for Ever-Bloom, an 11-acre cannabis greenhouse operation owned by Ed Van Wingerden at 4701 Foothill Road, came on the heels of the commission’s unanimous approval on January 12 of permits for Maximum Nursery, a four-acre cannabis greenhouse at 4555 Foothill, owned by Ed’s brother, Winfred Van Wingerden. Under the county’s permissive cannabis ordinance, both projects, like many others in the valley, have been allowed to operate without permits for more than four years.

In early 2020, the Santa Barbara Coalition for Responsible Cannabis, a countywide advocacy group, filed a public nuisance lawsuit against Ever-Bloom and Maximum. Between mid-2018 and last week, records show, Carpinteria residents have submitted 188 complaints to the county about the pungent smell of pot near Ever-Bloom and the soapy “laundromat” smell of the “misting” system that is supposed to neutralize it. They said the odors were driving them indoors and, in a few cases, causing breathing problems, headaches, and stinging eyes.