SUPERVISORS WILL DIG INTO POT-GROWING ORDINANCE

OROVILLE - On Tuesday, Butte County supervisors will get their first
look at a proposed marijuana cultivation ordinance that would apply
to the unincorporated areas of the county.

The proposed ordinance makes it clear that while it says it is in
compliance with the Prop. 215, which authorized the use and growth of
medical marijuana, and the associated implementing legislation, there
was not going to be any wide open operations in Butte County in the future.

"The unregulated cultivation of marijuana in the unincorporated area
of Butte County can adversely affect the health, safety and
well-being of the county, its residents and environment," the document cites.

The proposed ordinance includes strict limits on how many plants can
be grown on which sized lots. For example, individual growers with a
medical marijuana recommendation from a physician are allowed to have
no more than one mature and two immature plants at any one time. And
the garden must be restricted to an area of no more than 25 square feet.

The number of allowed plants increases depending on the parcel where
they are grown.

At the top of the list includes properties of 160 acres or more,
which can hold a total of no more than 99 plants, either mature,
juvenile, or in combination.

Except for the smallest gardens on less than an acre of land, growers
have to register with the county department of development services.
There is also an annual registration fee.

For properties bigger than one acre, but less than 20 acres, the
annual fee is $832, and that can climb to $1,231 as the property size
increases.

There is also a "zip-tie" fee. Under the proposed ordinance, each
plant must have a zip-tie attached to it with an individual
identification number. The ties will cost growers $44 each.

There are also fencing requirements, setbacks and specified distances
that gardens must be away from schools, parks and other facilities.
The numbers range from 100 feet for the smallest gardens on the
smallest plots, to 1,000 feet at the other end.

The ordinance will be the subject of a public hearing planned to take
place at 1 p.m. Tuesday in the Supervisors' Chambers, in the
Administration Building on County Center Drive in Oroville.

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BUTTE COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS

9 a.m. Tuesday

County Administration Building

25 County Center Drive

Oroville