Illegal pot grows increasing problem in S. Tahoe
By Kathryn Reed
Inhale deeply in many South Lake Tahoe neighborhoods and the stench of skunk permeates the nostrils. But it isn’t wildlife; it’s marijuana being grown indoors.
Need some weed? South Lake Tahoe is your answer – especially for people with medical marijuana cards. Tahoe Wellness Cooperative, the only medicinal marijuana shop in the city since the other two were shutdown, has 19,000 members. (The whole city has 21,286 residents.) Cody Bass, who runs the dispensary, says 8,000 of them are locals. (This is more than the number of registered voters.)
The city in 2011 made pot shops legal with an array of rules that had to be followed. An audit of TWC this summer showed the collective didn’t provide the quantity of pot coming and going from the Highway 50 facility. This has Police Chief Brian Uhler concerned. For one, it’s part of the ordinance that the amount of pot bought and sold must be provided to city officials when requested. Second, it means it is hard to discern where the pot is coming from – locally, imported, clients, other. Third, officials don’t know if the outgoing pot is going to patients or being sold illegally.
Uhler gave a presentation to the South Lake Tahoe City Council on Sept. 16 that raised a number of questions.
“We don’t know marijuana is not being diverted into illegal markets because there are not adequate records,” Uhler said.
He said his main concern for getting a handle on the situation is for the health and safety of the community. Fire is of the utmost concern.
The blaze at the mobile home last week had an illegal marijuana grow inside.
However, Fire Chief Jeff Meston told Lake Tahoe News, “(The) fire was undetermined, so no conclusions if it was caused or not caused by the grow.”
Still, illegal grows are problematic. Many have overloaded the electrical system, which leaves the system susceptible to fire.
“Marijuana grows are 24 times more likely to catch fire than a normal structure,” Uhler said.
Thirteen grows have been found in the city this year. Gareth Harris, fire chief with Lake Valley, said in his jurisdiction 20 illegal grows have been found in 2014.
“We are just scratching the surface,” Uhler said.
He estimates there are 300 illegal grows in the city. Only nine are legally permitted. Matt Underhill, commander for South Lake El Dorado Narcotics Enforcement Team, told the council there could be just as many illegal grow houses on the South Shore of El Dorado County.
He said SLEDNET receives between six and 12 complaints a week about suspected illegal grows. Investigating them all takes time and resources, which diverts agents from dealing with the more serious drugs in the community like heroin, meth and cocaine.
Uhler believes if the pot ordinance were tweaked a bit to take away the financial incentives for growers, that there may be fewer issues in town. He wants the dispensary to only be able to receive marijuana from permitted residential cultivators. He also wants to make sure people are then growing the limited amount allowed. This, he said in his PowerPoint, would cut off “illegal cultivators from their source of revenue.”
Later this fall the council will revisit the issue. Tuesday’s session was just information and not an action item.
I would support a “tweak” of the current ordinance to limit dispensaries to growers within the city limit in return for three things:
1. End the ban on dispensaries.
2. Give offending growers a written warning, before resorting to armed home invasions.
3. Allow bona fide medical cannabis patients to grow enough medicine to satisfy their own personal medical needs.
Maybe we should change our name to Stone Lake Tahoe, or Stone Shore. Perhaps we can market ourselves as Tahoe Stone.
I like “Tahoe Stoned” or “Stoned Lake Tahoe”
What does “found” mean. Did they close these grows down, arrest anyone or ?
Let’s not fool ourselves…it’s not just Tahoe. Better people grow it themselves for personal use. It’s these people that get greedy and grow way too much we need to be concerned about. Fires happen, but do we really see MORE than normal?
Just legalize pot, ban ALL indoor grows, you have to buy pot from a state store (like liquor stores in some states back east) and the pot is grown on licensed and regulated farms (preferably organically), and tax the hell out of it.
Just legalize it and stop all this crap about pot ,its every where,You will never get rid of it,Get over it,
Sounds like the campaign to become a recreation tourist destination has been a success, only the recreation is based on drugs not outdoors activities.
Chief Uhler needs all the support we can give him to enforce the ordinances and get rid of these law breakers.
Just legalize it ,and stop all this crap about pot,Its every where ,Your not going to get rid of it, get over it,
One-sided articles like this one seem to be the norm here now. Thought this was the one news outlet that was still unbiased in the area, but suppose I’ll have to keep searching. There have been far too many instances lately where you have failed to even speak with the people you are so readily attacking here. If you are bored, please take a day off and find some real news.
Stop wasting our tax payer dollars on marijuana prohibition enforcement. The war on drugs has been an absolute failure. It is a social problem not a legal issue. The current laws disproportionately attack the poor and minorities. South Lake Tahoe could be a leader and end prohibition for our city. Of course that will not happen with the current cast of characters on the City Council. They won’t even take a stand on the plastic ban issue. Vote in November!
Who is this Fire Chief Harris think he is to call all the grows he has come across “illegal.” Just because he is against MMJ doesn’t give him any right to say a grow is illegal vs legal. He doesn’t know the laws or the building codes and just goes around pulling people’s meters because he feels they could be pulling too much electricity. There is a reason for state laws, the building department, and certified electricians. There are fail safes (i.e. main breakers) that are built into the electrical systems of every home to stop it from using too much electricity. He has no right overriding all these peoples’ decisions just because he thinks all grows are illegal. Why are all the articles on MMJ negative. This is a newspaper not someone’s personal and falsely influential agenda site, correct?
Melissa … This is an accurate report of what happened at the meeting. Are you the woman who was there with Cody from TWC?
My neighborhood stinks EVERY DAY from greedy growers. If I decided to raise a few pigs that stunk up the neighborhood with their smell of fresh piggy poop im sure someone would be calling it in to the local authorities and id have to cease and dissist pronto. I am disgusted with the smelly greedy pot growers. I hope they all get fined and run out of town. Skubby can lead the pack…
go figure says,
Have you ever called the sheriff to report pot growing houses in your neighborhood ?
If not, you are part of the problem.
Call with addresses and if you give your name instead of anonymous, your complaint will carry more weight.
LTN is reporting the news as it was presented at the meeting. The only bias is those of you that don’t like what is being reported.
The Fire Chief is well aware of the difference between a legal vs illegal grow. I don’t dispute the medicinal use of marijuana. The law as it is written allows for medicinal use. It is quite clear from banking next to the wellness center as well, seeing the statistics a great many healthy people are using this law for recreational use. Move to Washington or Colorado if you decide it’s that important. Illegal grows are not just a nuisance but a severe safety hazard in our neighborhoods. Homes were built to live, not grow. I have had rentals that were growing illegal. Not only were the houses destroyed, but the way in which they were set up was a fire waiting to happen.
I’m with Joby sick of the people with cards saying they are sick, maybe 10% really need it. Stop the grow houses in our town that are illegal. So sick of the pot heads telling us how wrong we are and how bad they need their medicine, leave town please. I do like the pig idea!!!!!!!!!!
ONE TIME Okay, this is the third time I.ve responded to this issue today. It never got posted so I thought I’d give it one last chance. GET RID OF THE ILLEGAAL GROW HOUSES!!! Thank you , OLS
Hmmm…I am not associated with Mr. Bass, nor did I attend the meeting. I did watch the video. GOOD reporting is going beyond basic repetition of a video or comment we can all see/hear. None of us want dangerous and illegal grows in town, the dispensary included as far as I can tell. The inability of the city, and this paper to separate those grows from the dispensary is doing a great disservice to their patients, however. Same thing was done to the employees at the Tahoe Queen re: the couple whom had their reservation cancelled. If you are going to publish something which may cause harm to a person’s business or income, it’s probably common decency to at least make attempts at reporting their side as well.
Make the MD’s that are giving out the 215 cards and the disability placards responsible for their actions. The MD are the ones that facilitate these false claims. We would end up with more parking places for people who really need them.
How is the City going to enforce the law? Some of the meter maid types driving a pick-up truck with a clip board handing out tickets? Same as people who store too much trash on their property? I hope we don’t need cowboys riding around in an assault vehicle with automatic weapons and stun grenades to solve a problem that can be handled with a ticket.
Steven, reports have been filed on the citys website, address have been given, even some names. The problem is that these people have no ownership in where they live and in being productive members of this community.when you see that young busy people live in houses that never open their curtains, have a pitbull dog inside 24/7 that barks at the door but is never allowed outside, has newfaces every week in unfamiliar vehicles, dont seem to go to any jobs. It is ruining our neighborhood and our property values. I believe in endless pressure, endlessly applied. I know the slt police will find these guys.
go figure…I know many stay at home parents whom would fit your definition of a cannabis grower. We keep our dogs inside because of the negative views people like you carry for them, and keeping your curtains closed is a GREAT way to save on heating and cooling costs. Worried about your property values? Sell now and let someone less presumptive take your spot.
go figure,
I don’t see where it said you called the sheriff. Call law enforcement, not the city website.
You can also go online or call down to Placerville to the assessors office, get the owners name and phone number and contact them, assuming it is a rental. That info is public knowledge. Of course you may get a renting owner who knows what is going on and gets a piece of the action, which is going on in my neighborhood.
Contact law enforcement, your tax dollars pay for their help.
go figure, Call the police dept. at 542-6100 and ask to talk to Chief Brian Uhler.He knows what he’s talkin’ about and this problem with home grow action in residential neighborhhoods comes from an aging hippie!
Who thought this ol’ fart would be talkin’ to the police chief about grow houses!!!
Brian has a good sense of humour and seems to be very upfront about things
Crazy stuff man, crazy stuff!Take care OLS
Melissa, I feel like my rights as a property owner have been violated by having to smell the pot growers stench, daily, in my yard, in my garage, in my house. If I wanted to have to smell skunk smell all the time I wouldnt have moved into my home 15 years ago. If I had smelled the smell that permiates my neighborhood every day now I never would have bought my home here. The transient renters that are here now have made our neighborhood a smelly and more dangerous place. They arent making property tax payments, they arent contributing to the sustainability of our community, they are mostly greedy and hoping to make a bunch of money before they split town because inevitably our community will rebel against this and the people living here and raising their families here are gonna get sick of this problem. Until then I will be turning in any and all info I gather on the neighbors illegal grow operation.
OMG! This video about Medical Marijuana is INSANELY GREAT! http://youtu.be/zdcvhUgeDRg
It is like totally insanely great, if you’re a child and really stoned………
The pure fact is that the problem is with the police department and them labeling all grows as illegal. Just because a grow might smell doesn’t give them the right to come break down your door with a dozen armed officers. They should come make contact and issue a nuisance/inspection violation, their motto is to protect and serve, correct? And you wonder why people aren’t getting permits, they would just have a greater chance of be subject of this unjust process
Hey ross, there are rules to follow. If a person chooses to not get the permits and follow the rules than they deserve to have the law enforcement at their door. The local law enforcers know who are permitted and I would bet they know where the illegal grows are too. Dont do the crime if you cant afford the time.