More Calaveras Planning Updates

Planning Commission Activity. Here is what’s been happening at recent planning commission meetings:

• The addition of a Valley Springs section to the Community Plan Element of the Draft General Plan was pulled from the agenda January 26. The Valley Springs section will be re-scheduled later to allow more time for public review of the draft
• A Planned Development Permit was approved for a commercial building in Hathaway Pines, and a Conditional Use Permit was approved for a fire station in Paloma
• Seven Commercial Cannabis Cultivation Appeals were denied
• Commissioners and public gave feedback on the Planning Department Work Program March 9. Priorities at this time are: completing the General Plan Update; developing a permanent cannabis ordinance; FEMA Flood Map update; S. San Andreas Gateway Study; Housing Element Reporting; Industrial Zones update; Planned Development update; and Valley Springs Community Plan.
• For more info on the Planning Work Program & discussion, watch the March 9 Planning Commission meeting video (@ approx. 1 hr. 15 min. in).

Cannabis Updates:

• Cannabis Media Coverage. Dozens of new articles and opinions on cannabis cultivation, appeals & denials, abatement, ordinances & extensions, ban initiative & legal challenges, plus an urgency ordinance YouTube video have been posted on our Current News & Reports page and Point of View. To catch up on current cannabis news, check the News page out!

• Measure B ‘Cannabis Ban’ Arguments Challenged & Changed. Cannabis Ban initiative Measure B is scheduled for a May 2 election, but a petition for writ of mandate was served Feb. 23 against “false and/or misleading statements in the ballot arguments in favor of Measure B.” The complete Writ of Mandate & challenges may be read in, “Lawsuit claims voters’ pamphlet statements favoring marijuana ban are false and misleading” (Calaveras Enterprise, February 27, 2017).Since then, the judge ordered that the language of eight of the arguments be changed or deleted before voters head to the voting booths. Read ‘Court rules against pro-ban forces’ (Enterprise, March 7), “Court Rules that Ban Proponents Offered False and Misleading Ballot Arguments in Support of Measure B, Orders All Challenged Arguments to Be Changed or Deleted” (ThePineTree.net, March 8), and read specific modification details in “Judge rules change needed to Measure B claims” (Union Democrat, March 8).

• Second Writ Filed to Remove Ban Initiative. Measure B also had a second Writ of Mandate filed against it, challenging the language, claiming it was a “facially defective proposed ordinance”, and seeking to remove Measure B from the ballot. Read “Another writ of mandate filed against Tunno and McManus” (Enterprise, March 9).
• Cannabis Economic Report Released; EIR Due Soon. An Economic Impact Assessment (EIA) on the Cannabis Cultivation Industry in Calaveras County was recently released by the University of the Pacific’s School of Business, and a Draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for a permanent cannabis cultivation ordinance is expected to be released by the Planning Department for public comment by the end of March.For more info on the EIA, read article, ‘Study says cannabis industry is largest in Calaveras County – $251.5 million in sales, 2,605 jobs in 2016’ (Calaveras Enterprise, Feb. 23).  To read the complete economic impact report on Cannabis Cultivation in Calaveras County, click here.

• Cannabis Economic Report Released; EIR Due Soon. An Economic Impact Assessment (EIA) on the Cannabis Cultivation Industry in Calaveras County was recently released by the University of the Pacific’s School of Business, and a Draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for a permanent cannabis cultivation ordinance is expected to be released by the Planning Department for public comment by the end of March.For more info on the EIA, read article, ‘Study says cannabis industry is largest in Calaveras County – $251.5 million in sales, 2,605 jobs in 2016’ (Calaveras Enterprise, Feb. 23).  To read the complete economic impact report on Cannabis Cultivation in Calaveras County, click here.

• Cannabis Keeps Supes Busy! The 2017 Calaveras County Board of Supervisors discussed & acted on multiple, complex cannabis issues at January-February board meetings.  Board actions:1) Refunded Cannabis Eradication Grant
  2) Placed Citizen’s Cannabis Ban Initiative on the Ballot
  3) Denied Commercial Cannabis Registration Appeals
  4) Held Study Session on Cannabis Urgency Ordinance Options
  5) Gave Direction to Draft a County Cannabis Ban Ordinance
  6) Adopted Revised Chapter 8.06 Code Compliance Ordinance to “expedite abatement for cannabis-related activities”
  7) Extended the Urgency Ordinance Regulating Medical Cannabis Cultivation, “until it expires as a matter of law [one year] or until it is replaced by permanent ordinance. “

  News media articles and reports covering many cannabis issues, meetings, and actions can be found on MVS Current News & Reports page. Read about the expedited abatement process, “County accelerates cannabis abatement” (Enterprise, March 2).

Thank you to Colleen Platt and MyValleySprings.com for the above.  Visit the MyValleySprings.com website for more information about planning, land use, & development for Valley Springs area and Calaveras County.