This afternoon, with an impassioned presentation outside the Humboldt County Courthouse, leaders of the political action group California Cannabis Voice-Humboldt (CCVH) unveiled a proposed land use ordinance aimed at regulating marijuana cultivation throughout the county’s unincorporated areas.
…local environmental leaders remain skeptical about the ordinance and the process through which it has developed. One of the most vocal critics of that process, Northcoast Environmental Center Executive Director Dan Ehresman, obtained a copy of the draft ordinance before today’s official release and said it has the same failings as earlier drafts.
“It’s still giving a green light for large-scale growers who are doing significant environmental damage to watersheds and communities,” Ehresman said. He argued that while there are plenty of small-scale growers operating responsibly, this ordinance would instead give a free pass to those who’ve been violating the law and harming the environment for years. “CCVH is about protecting big growers. That’s what this land use ordinance is about.”
Ehresman also called into question the transparency of CCVH and its drafting process. The group has worked with former Humboldt County Supervisor Bonnie Neely and the high-powered attorney firm Nossaman LLP to craft the language of the ordinance, and while group leaders have touted the importance of public involvement, they have declined to reveal who sits on their board of directors, despite several requests from the Outpost.
