Tag archives: cannabis
Cannabis odor drifting from Carpinteria’s greenhouses has been one of the most consistent concerns I heard on the campaign trail and I’ve continued to hear since taking office. As your First District Supervisor, I want to share the work that the Board of Supervisors has taken to address it – because for the first time, […]
What the Glass House (GH) Cannabis raids revealed were very disturbing and very obvious violations of the county’s 2018 licensing regulations. These rules require that our executive office approve signoffs by six departments before renewing a grower’s annual license. So, I filed a Public Record Request to see whether the county was following its own […]
Does your heart break for the children? Well, my heart breaks for ALL of them, including those who are exploited by a soulless industry that our county coddles, controls and licenses. America recently learned what those of us in the cannabis-know already knew: this industry preys on the most vulnerable, those who have no voice […]
Recently, our 2024-25 Grand Jury confirmed what I have long suspected – our cannabis program is shockingly unprofitable! Over five years the program posted $15M in losses by rewarding 30 or so cannabis growers with a hugely favorable tax scheme while spending lavishly to administer the program. On June 20, the Grand Jury released Cannabis […]
Over the course of the past couple of months, I have written a few articles that teased at certain county mysteries and expenses. I thought it would be fun to revisit some of these pieces after receiving the information that I had requested through various Public Record Requests (PRR). I hope you find the updates […]
Over seven years and more than 4,000 complaints later, the pungent smell of pot in Carpinteria might finally be under control, thanks to the Santa Barbara County Supervisors who, on March 18th, unanimously voted to adopt amendments to the county’s cannabis ordinance. “Unanimously, the Board of Supervisors ushered in a new chapter of cannabis in […]
On January 3, and for 46 days thereafter, growing cannabis was illegal in the 25 California counties that had allowed it. But then, thanks to the efforts of Santa Barbara, the cannabis cultivation industry was rescued, permitting its powerful lobbyists, investors and growers to breathe a collective, and perhaps smoke filled, sigh of relief. Allow […]
On February 19th, the Santa Barbara County Planning Commission approved the proposed changes to the county’s cannabis ordinance in a 5-0 vote. The changes require cannabis operators to install multi-technology carbon filtration or equivalent technology in their greenhouses to effectively mitigate cannabis odor. The commissioners also established an odor threshold, to be measured using a […]
The Cannabis Ordinance is legally complex and so, as a long recovering attorney, I felt the need to clarify the overly rosy “things are about to change” reporting that I have read. Second District Supervisor Laura Capps and Fourth District Supervisor Bob Nelson are thoughtfully leading the way on Cannabis reform with a proposal that […]
Following the legalization of recreational cannabis in California in 2016 and the subsequent implementation of licensing regulations in 2018, the Carpinteria Valley witnessed a surge in cannabis cultivation operations. With this growth came an onslaught of resident complaints regarding the pungent odor emanating from these facilities. Since 2019, 3,900 complaints have been filed about the […]
At last week’s Board meeting, there was an Honor Guard, the La Colina HS Jazz Band, and even a bit of soaring keynote rhetoric from Montecito’s own Gwyn Lurie. It was as Supervisor Steve Lavagnino described — a “celebration of democracy” — where Roy Lee took his place on the dais and Supervisor Laura Capps […]
The Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved the Cannabis Odor Abatement and Proposed Amendments Plan at their meeting on Tuesday, September 14th. Chair Laura Capps and Vice Chair Bob Nelson spearheaded the initiative to amend Chapter 50 of the county’s Code of Ordinances to address ongoing odor concerns related to cannabis cultivation. The […]
As we await our new D1 Supervisor Roy Lee, the County Planning Commission (CPC) has taken what some might argue is an activist approach to certain significant issues facing our County, including the Miramar Project and our Cannabis Ordinance. Allow me to explain: The Montecito Planning Commission lost their oversight of the Miramar based on […]
From sufficient tax revenue to operating locations, the cannabis industry has received its share of heat – but no other complaint has been vocalized more than the odor surrounding the industry. Over 2,500 odor complaints have been filed in the past four years. As that number continues to rise, the county is grappling with setting […]
Very recently, we learned that at a Regular Planning Commission meeting set for September 25, the Commission will review suggested changes to our community-disastrous Cannabis Ordinance. This got me to wondering: Who controls the agenda and timing related to important County issues, i.e., who controls the “conversation”? The Planning Commission is an advice-driven part of […]
On June 18, the Supervisors will decide whether our revenue-starved County will approve a ballot referendum that would increase our cannabis tax rates. Frankly, I’m not nearly as concerned about the tax itself, as I am about the fact that Supervisors Steve Lavagnino and Das Willams continue to dominate the cannabis conversation. Allow me to […]
In 1936 they released the notorious Reefer Madness, a social horror movie lightly dressed up as a PSA. Reefer Madness lives up to its nominal hypothesis, portraying the effects of cannabis in a terrifying Jekyll-and-Hyde framework that sees gee-whiz youngsters turned into shifty-eyed, maniacally giggling creeps after a single puff. Marijuana was the sinister trojan […]
After nearly a year of working on cannabis tax alternatives, our Deputy CEO finally presented her findings to the Board of Supervisors who are considering a November election Cannabis tax ballot Referendum. More disappointing than the presentation’s lack of depth, analysis or erudition was its shockingly obvious cannabis-bias. Allow me to explain: There are only […]
As most know, our County’s complete lack of ethical standards is something I have raged against. While other counties have a Code of Ethics (something that our Grand Jury recommended in 2020), our County blissfully dances in the darkness without pesky little rules relating to the timing of campaign contributions, acceptance of gifts, hiring of […]
When I moved to Casa Dorinda on January 1, 2009, after being on the waitlist for five years, it was the height of the 2008 financial disaster which cost me a $300,000 loss on the sale of my house. I had friends from the Music Academy of the West here, and the first four years […]
