Jul 25, 2016

Does HUMMAP want growers to stay in the black market?




HUMMAP got absolutely nothing in the lawsuit they filed against the County except getting an attorney from Berkley getting paid. The Board of Supervisors had the dates where they approved funding an EIR already and HUMMAP acts like they got the Board Of Supervisors to do something.

After the HUMMAP settlement, I have not seen Robert Sutherland at the cannabis tax or any cannabis related BOS meetings. I have seen some other people who also attended regularly when the commercial cannabis cultivation ordinance was being discussed.

HUMMAP cost the County $35k and got absolutely nothing from the lawsuit. Was this because Sutherland and others didn't get their way with the board?  Is HUMMAP telling people  to stay in a black market?

If you  read the document I have linked in the post below, you can see for yourself how HUMMAP didn't change anything that could not have been resolved without a lawsuit. The first link is the actual court document of the settlement.

file:///C:/Users/John/Downloads/2016_001.pdf

The BOS already had everything in the ordinance, HUMMAP just clarified where you get tax credits and generator decibel level (which was already in the ordinance). HUMMAP dropped their main issue of size of square footage and  are now touting credit for the EIR, but the BOS had already approved and funded it. BOS would have already had a cleanup ordinance come forward but everything was on hold because of the lawsuit.

HUMMAP should be focusing their energies getting people to come into compliance because they won't be environmental impacts if growers follow all the rules/laws that the State Water board, Fish &Wildlife, Cal Fire and County have.

Small, medium or big, there are growers taking a leap of faith and wanting to get in compliance and be legal and pay taxes.

All this lawsuit did is waste taxpayer money and resources that could have been used by staff on revenue and helping businesses.

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