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SLO County adopts pot farm ban, but lets current growers stay

September 21, 2016

Pot grow 9

Seven weeks in advance of a statewide vote on legalization of marijuana, the San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors narrowly passed a moratorium on new cannabis grows in the county. However, the urgency ordinance will allow growers who recently rushed into eastern SLO County to continue operating their unpopular pot farms in the area.

On Tuesday, a majority of the supervisors attempted to pass an ordinance that would kick marijuana growers out of the sparsely populated California Valley. They were stifled by supervisors Bruce Gibson and Adam Hill.

Sheriff Ian Parkinson

Sheriff Ian Parkinson

Sheriff Ian Parkinson, one of the leading proponents of a marijuana moratorium, stated during the board hearing that there are currently more than 200 marijuana grows in the California Valley, and a number of the growers are affiliated with gangs. Officials previously received numerous complaints about men with guns protecting pot farms in the California Valley, as well as about harmful chemicals being used at the marijuana grow sites.

Supervisor Debbie Arnold proposed an ordinance that would have given California Valley growers until December to shut down their pot farms. Gibson and Hill objected to the proposal, which needed four votes to pass.

After a California Fish and Wildlife official discussed how the marijuana operations are harming endangered species in the area, Gibson, as a compromise, proposed a moratorium on new grows that would allow existing pot farms to continue operating indefinitely. The supervisors voted 4-1 in favor of Gibson’s proposal.

Hill cast the dissenting vote. He said drugs should be legal.

Adam Hill

Adam Hill

“I’m trying to overcome a lifelong objection I have to criminalizing drugs because all of the policies that have gone on in this country to do so have failed,” Hill said. “That doesn’t mean that I have any desire to advocate the use of drugs.”

In anticipation of Californians voting in November to legalize recreational use of cannabis, the county is currently working on a permanent marijuana ordinance. Still, Arnold said she is disappointed that, in the meantime, the board failed to address a situation that is unsafe.

Debbie Arnold

Debbie Arnold

“There are over 200 grows, and some are affiliated with out-of-area gangs. I tried to have an ordinance passed that would address those issues,” Arnold said following Tuesday’s meeting. “I am very disappointed that Adam Hill and Bruce Gibson would be so disrespectful to my constituents.”

Arnold’s district includes the California Valley.

The board of supervisors will discuss permanent marijuana regulations after the Nov. 8 election.


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Is it me or are we combining the gun control topic with the weed growing topic as a smoke screen of sorts (pun light on)? Seriously though, we don’t need acres and acres of anything that guarded by thugs from L.A. If that’s necessary then why invite the extra grief?


The friendly sounding “mom and pop” grows are no different. They’re all packing guns and that’s a problem to us all as well.


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The grows in California Valley are largely being done by Hmong gang members from the San Joaquin Valley and Mexican cartel members out of L.A.


If members of these two groups get crossways of each other it is unlikely that the authorities in San Luis Obispo County will ever hear about it because they will simply drag off and bury their dead rather than make a report about it. As long as the hillbilly pot smokers in this county don’t go out to California Valley with the intent of trying to rip these people off to get a little “free weed” there shouldn’t be too much trouble. The problem of course is the hillbilly pot smokers in this County WILL go out to California Valley and when they do they’ll get shot and then crawl back, if they’re able, back home and make a report with local law enforcement which then creates a whole lot of problems our county.


The problem with marijuana is not some mom-and-pop growing it in their backyards in Los Osos, the problem is drug cartel backed growers who have a propensity to use violence in order to protect their cash problem.


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The gangs are involved because there are high profits to be made with relatively little effort and small start-up costs. If there were more mom & pop operations, these larger grow operations would disappear fast, because the backyard grows reduce demand and thus drive down prices. Any laws passed to limit grow operations at any level only server to keep the prices high and the “bad element” in the mix and in the money.


I find it strange that the BOS allowed the current operations to stay, but will prevent new ones from starting. The owners of the current grow operations are celebrating wildly because the BOS effectively quashed the competition that would have effectively lowered their profits. Good thinking BOS!


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Just like all those mom & pop stores drove out the big cartels of WalMart, Target, HomeDepot, etc.? THOSE type of mom & pop places? Yeah, they’ll sure tear into the profits of a large cartel or conglomerate who know how to control their product and market.


Oy vey!


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While I can’t grow a box of Huggies or a liter of soda in my back yard, it’s quite easy to grow a few pounds of cannabis. Big difference.


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How do you know it’s the hmongs and the Mexicans?


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No kidding, is the same mentality of gun control. Go after criminals.. Don’t make lawful people criminals


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Here we go again! Connecting imaginary dots to other imaginary dots… Give me a break would ya?!!! Save the political retoric for those who can’t see past the BS that IS the NRA and its minions and stick to the fact that pot kills no one from consumption (can’t say the same about bullets now can ya?).


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“The board of supervisors will discuss permanent marijuana regulations after the Nov. 8 election.”

I’d prefer that they discuss this issue BEFORE the election….it’s the right thing to do.


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And the Latin America cartels all sing….


“Gloria a Dios! Nos quedamos rica gracias a las buenas leyes esta dounidenses! Bueno para nosotros y mas balas para nuestras armas!”


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Here’s the translation. Very well stated.


“Glory to God!” We were rich thanks to these good domestic laws! “Good for us and more bullets for our weapons!”


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Posted on Fire Adam Hill’s FaceBook page as, “Adam Hill fights for gang affiliated marijuana grows in San Luis Obispo. Fire Adam Hill.”


Fire Adam Hill.


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If a single law is being broken, then we should send Parkinson’s Panga Patrol out there and have them clean it up. In the end, either no laws are being broken, or, Parkinson is not doing his job. Drawing a link between gangs and Adam Hill is really funny, though a lot less funny when you realize that there may be people out there who are stupid enough to believe it.


If you don’t like Adam Hill, don’t vote for him. It’s really simple.


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In a political era of connecting dots where no dots exist (Trump is the poster child for this movement) is it any surprise someone would try and connect a politician to ANYTHING they disagree with? I think not. I don’t like Adam Hill, and I like his wife even less, but to draw a correlation to gangs in his vote is not only ludicrous but extremely irresponsible. Thomas A you should be less “political” and more “factual” in your efforts. Your cause is worthy on it’s merits without muddying it up with nonsense…


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Sorry guys, a fact is a fact. Adam Hill is fighting to keep gang affiliated pot grows in business. We all know Adam Hill is most likely getting $ one way or another or he would not vote for it. Wake up.


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Sorry Jimmy, Adam Hill will not get off that easy. I you don’t like Adam Hill then expose his multiple crimes and lock that crazy mo fo up. Just not getting reelected is the last of Adam Hill’s concerns.


Fire Adam Hill.


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Let’s see, a ban on new growers, makes the one’s already here worth a lot more money. WTG SLO County BOS. I am so pissed off. We don’t want Drug dealers any where! Throw AH out of town.


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AH voted against the ban; he seems to support your position. How many businesses sell liquor in your town?


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Should we include big pharm’ in that equation? If not, why not?! They knowingly manufacture and distribute concoctions that kill hundreds if not thousands of people every year AT A PROFIT!!!! They knowingly produce drugs that are vertually certain to be gateway drugs (you can always get another ‘script for the side effects of your current ‘script). They knowingly produce and distribute drugs that are known to be addictive. They do all the things that cartels do don’t they?


For my dollar I’ll pay the pot dealer EVERYTIME before I go to the local pharmacy. I get better service, pay a much lower price and get the results I need without any of the side effects that pharmaceuticals WILL cause.


Make me a criminal? I don’t give a shit! Been there done that! The eventual cost will ALWAYS come down on you; whether it be for law enforcement, court costs, the cost of me being in jail, the lost revinues from me being in jail, the loss of my tax dollars, my family having to draw welfare because I’m incarcerated, and the myriad of other social and finacial negetive effects that occur all come down on you! And all over pot?!!! Oh well, I guess you really don’t give a shit how your tax dollars are spent…


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Debbie is being a hypocrite when it comes to the grape growers and pesticides let alone water consumption. I say tough crap Parkinson. Maybe bring that panga boat out to Ca Valley to try and to intimidate people. I’m sure that would float well. You could have spent that money on another officer when the coast guard is already equipped to go after the pangas. Another lame sheriff just like the last one. Once 64 passes, the price will drop and there will be no need to protect a crop with a gun.


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Grow grow grow. Grow grow grow. Carry those guns.

Happy happy happy. Can’ t wait to read about future fallout.


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