Humboldt County Cannabis Cultivation at Risk from Ballot Initiative

The Humboldt County Planning Department notes in a report that the HCRI would deter current permit holders from altering their permits in any manner. This includes implementing environmental safeguards or adapting to the changing industry, affecting farms of all scales in Humboldt County.

According to the initiative, slated to be listed as Measure A on the ballot, “expansion” refers to any increase in the number or size of structures associated with cultivation. This language surrounding “expansion” could potentially eliminate incentives for maintaining environmental quality, argue cannabis advocacy groups in Humboldt. The county’s planning department predicts severe repercussions for the local cannabis sector if the initiative passes.

The county’s analysis warns that HCRI could undermine efforts to foster a regulated cannabis industry within Humboldt County, possibly making legal compliance so onerous that the market becomes untenable locally.

The report highlights that the largest farms in the area span 7 to 8 acres, with only four farms of this magnitude currently operating. In comparison, other counties host significantly larger farms, indicating that Humboldt County is not a home to large-scale cannabis farming operations in the broader market context.

The initiative also aims to limit the cultivation area for cannabis farmers to 10,000 square feet. This restriction would label any facility exceeding this size as non-conforming, hindering any further modifications. The county contends that designating areas over 10,000 square feet as large-scale, especially when other regions approve much larger cultivation spaces, is arbitrary.

Set to appear on the March 2024 ballot, local farmers are spreading awareness about the initiative’s implications. If passed, it would alter the general plan, allowing changes to cannabis provisions only through a public vote.

Dylan Mattole of Mattole Valley Sungrown, who actively participates in the “No on HCRI” campaign, voiced concerns about the initiative’s potential to label his farm as environmentally destructive due to its size. At a recent community meeting, he emphasized the initiative’s detrimental impact on the Humboldt County’s cannabis industry and broader economy.

Authored by law firm Shute, Mihaly & Weinberger, previously associated with groups advocating for cannabis bans in other counties, the HCRI is accused of misleading the public. Critics argue that it portrays itself as a protector of small farms, while actually serving to undermine them. They believe the public might not fully grasp the consequences of the initiative, mistakenly thinking it aims to prevent the establishment of ‘large scale’ farms in the county.