Humboldt Cannabis
Reform Initiative
The purpose of the Humboldt Cannabis Reform Initiative is to amend the Humboldt County General Plan in order to protect residents, land owners, and our beautiful natural environment from harm caused by large-scale industrial cannabis cultivation.
Letter of April 20, 2023, to Board of Supervisors and John Ford by Initiative’s attorney Kevin Bundy about errors and mischaracterizations in the County’s analysis and recommendations report.
Press Release: April 20, 2023. Initiative’s attorney responding to misleading and inaccurate County ‘analysis’ of the Initiative.
Myths & Realities: Addressing some factual errors and misinformation being disseminated about the Initiative.
On October 25, the Humboldt County Board of Supervisors voted to include this initiative on the June 2024 ballot for a vote of the people.
You may access a recording of the meeting via the following link:
https://humboldt.legistar.com
Please write to your Supervisor:
- 1st District Supervisor Rex Bohn: rbohn@co.humboldt.ca.us
- 2nd District Supervisor Michelle Bushnell: mbushnell@co.humboldt.ca.us
- 3rd District Supervisor Mike Wilson: mike.wilson@co.humboldt.ca.us
- 4th District Supervisor Natalie Arroyo: narroyo@co.humboldt.ca.us
- 5th District Supervisor Steve Madrone: smadrone@co.humboldt.ca.us
The Humboldt Cannabis Reform Initiative offers a new vision for cannabis cultivation in Humboldt County. It will:
Reduce the cannabis cultivation footprint, promote healthy environments and rural communities, ensure public involvement, and protect truly small-scale, environmentally-minded cannabis farmers by:
- Stopping expansion of industrial mega-grows in rural neighborhoods and limiting new and expanded cannabis cultivation to less than 10,000 sq. ft.
- Setting caps on future total acreage and on total number of permits to around current levels, rather than allowing to triple, as per current county resolution
- Allowing permits only for new and expanded outdoor or mixed light tier 1 cultivation, or nursery
- Limiting the number of new cultivation permits per person and per parcel, but not affecting other types of permits (like bed-and-breakfast or dispensary permits)
- Protecting residents, landowners, and watershed health by requiring analysis of whether new water wells will reduce flow of a watercourse, spring, or another’s well
- Shortening by two weeks the period allowed for diversion of stream water
- Requiring an engineer’s verification for applicants’ claims regarding certain road standards
- Reducing noise pollution and risk of fuel spills by allowing only one emergency generator for new permits
- Phasing out generator usage for permitted operations
- Providing opportunity for public input in approval and renewal processes
- Strengthening inspections and correction of permit violations
This initiative will not or cannot:
- Force authorities to enforce the law
- Address fees, fines, or taxes
- Affect the many illegal, unpermitted grows
- Affect vested rights associated with permitted operations
PAID FOR BY THE HUMBOLDT CANNABIS REFORM INITIATIVE
a Primarily Formed Ballot Initiative Committee
PO Box 599, Bayside, CA 95524
California FPPC #1443594
