Opinion: Marijuana growers need a permit
By Brian Uhler
Marijuana is a major concern for many in our city. As part of the City Code, our City Council provided for a safer community by allowing marijuana grow operations only after a permit is obtained. The permit process provides for a building official to inspect for things like:
1. Safe wiring — Adding a large number of “grow lights” overburdens conventional electric outlets and can cause fires.
2. Proper ventilation — Too many marijuana plants in an area where people live can be hazardous, so the law limits the total square footage for a grow operation to be smaller than 10 percent of the available space.
3. Proper permission — Especially in the case of rentals, the permit process requires that the owner gives permission to grow marijuana. Many home owners have been left with extensively damaged homes from illegal marijuana growing.
4. Minimal impact to neighbors — The code requires growers to filter or control odors that may impact neighbors.
Brian Uhler
In South Lake Tahoe, there are currently only two permitted grow operations. The police department estimates that there are approximately 300 actual grow operations within the city. This said, we ask for two things:
1. People who have a grow operations should get their permit. They can do so by calling the city’s permit center at 530.542.6020 or 530.542.6010.
2. People who know of a grow operation in their neighborhood should call SLEDNET at 530.542.6029. (Leave a message after hours.) Or log onto the city’s website, click the communications tab at the top of the page and use “report a concern.”
Your police department and SLEDNET have continued the effort to locate and close illegal and unsafe marijuana grows. This will continue to be a priority because our community’s safety depends upon it.
Last month, we reported on the Live at Lakeview event and concerns about either not enough or too much police presence. I’m pleased to say that the community responded well to the concerns raised. Despite several issues during the first two events, the events throughout July have been good events and as family friendly as possible.
Brian Uhler is the police chief for South Lake Tahoe.
So has DEA bought into this process? And have they publicly stated that they accept it? I’m still an Obama supporter, but I’ve never been an Eric Holder supporter.
WARNING: OUR POLICE CHIEF HAS JUST DECLARED WAR ON MED MJ PATIENTS. There are over 600 medical marijuana gardens in SLT, according to the City’s own estimates. So far only 12 permits have been issued. I know, because I am permit number 12. Compliance with this permit will probably cost me close to $8,000 and will definitely NOT produce enough medicine for me to survive. It’s a total violation of the state laws to restrict patients like this, but once I found out that an innocent dog had been shot by the local narcs, I saw the writing on the wall and agreed to their BS to get my permit. Also, be warned that the City Attorney has made it known that he considers it part of his job to keep marijuana out of SLT. Think you can just ignore what I’ve told you? Consider this, the decision to raid you will be based on whether you have a permit or not. No permit and you are automatically deemed an illegal grow. That means a home invasion by heavily armed cops and arrest. Then they will tear out your meter and leave you without any power and $1000 a day in fines. It’s a war against sick people by a small minority of social conservatives and this city should be ashamed!
Brian Uhler, Thanks for your letter about grow houses. The chance for a house fire because of overburdened electrical outlets, or growers tampering with their wiring is very dangerous. I know this because the house behind me caught fire and if not for the hardworking firemen the whole neighborhood could have gone up in flames!
Thank you and lets hope more growers go thru the permitting procsess to make sure it’s done safely and not a nuisance to the neighbors. Old Long Skiis
What about county grow houses? Anything that can be done about them?
This type of permitting is a good start and should be county-wide. The Sacramento County BOS recently banned all outdoor cultivation of MJ for good reasons and they are moving to heavily restrict indoor grows. This black market cash crop causes all kinds of crime and money laundering and corruption not to mention the criminal gangs tied to it. People aware of a grow house should report it to local law enf. as these rigged operations are trouble waiting to happen.
Call the SLT office of EDSO @ 573-3000, or you can anonymously report grow houses which concern you online on the EDSO website (part of the main EDC government website). There is a group of local deputies who investigate these complaints in the county. Cultivation which complies with the Compassionate Use Act remains intact, though deputies do contact individuals whose “gardens” cause issues due to odor, noise from equipment, etc. because even lawful grows can violate public nuisance laws.
how about county grow houses?
But they are not required to have permits in the county? If so, this will just cause more of these to pop up in the county because of the lack of the requirement!
The county grows ARE being investigated! Yea! 2 within a block of me have been shut down. The neighborhood is quieter, and sweeter smelling. FYI, many of these grows are involved in other criminal activities. Thank you SLEDNET, and EDSO for finally taking this problem seriously.
SLT, take your community back! Report these offensive grows!
If you are doing it “correctly”, and legally, I shouldn’t even know you are doing it!
Mr. Kubby-
Quite a rant.
Didn’t that “innocent dog” attach his teeth to a police officer? Wasn’t it a pit bull which is known for that sort of thing?
Are you telling us it is impossible to grow enough “medicine” to keep you going personally? You need help in more ways than agricultural assistance.
Regarding county area grows:
I don’t know anything about county permits required to grow pot, but I do know that if you walk or ride a bike on a calm night around Christmas Valley, you will figure out there are grow operations going on. Many homes out there are not occupied, or seldom occupied so it is fairly easy for practically anything to fly under the radar.
Some grows seem cyclical…worse smell at times, less at others. Fan noises sometimes less or none at others.
I think the Eldo. County Sheriff’s office is aware, as I see more police car presence at times, quite obviously focused at certain areas which are occasionally pretty smelly, even by me with an impaired sense of smell.
I am aware of one power theft where a cable was strung to an adjacent unoccupied home, resulting in a large unaccounted for electric bill until discovered.
I think the City is being pretty conservative with the “non-permitted” houses in town. We have about 30 in my neighborhood alone. Need to move these operations out to the farm.
Kubby….you are a bit out there….a bit too much at times.
I’m just concerned because there are already too many grow houses in my neighborhood in Meyers and I don’t want to see more pop up because they are being more strongly regulated in the city. I’ve called EDSO before because of the powerful stench and, although the officer was very nice, nothing came of it.
Kubby, you are so full of smoke and mirrors. Im glad the city of slt police force is doing its best to reduce illegal grow houses. For the last few years my neighborhood has stunk like skunk at all hours of the day. After contacting the local police through the city website, I believe that action was taken because I have noticed a change in the level of odor. I can actually say there are days when I dont smell skunk. If kubby is so deprived of the pot he seems to despirately need, maybe he should head to colorado or washington. It wouldnt hurt my feelings.
keep pot grows out of our neighborhoods. They should have an area zoned for that operation.