Pubdate: Thu, 02 Jul 2015
Source: Appeal-Democrat (Marysville, CA)
Copyright: 2015 Appeal-Democrat
Contact: 
http://www.appeal-democrat.com/sections/services/forms/editorletter.php
Website: http://www.appeal-democrat.com
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1343
Author: Eric Vodden

NEW POT INITIATIVE SOUGHT

Opponents to Yuba County's marijuana cultivation ordinance have filed 
paperwork with election officials seeking a voter initiative to 
create a new ordinance.

Representatives of a group calling itself the Progressive Business 
Alliance filed a notice of intent to circulate petitions for an 
initiative, along with the proposed initiative itself. It would put 
before voters a less restrictive ordinance than that approved by 
county supervisors in March.

County Clerk Terry Hansen said the paperwork has been returned to 
proponents for a revision before petitions can be approved for 
circulation. If supporters are ultimately cleared to move forward, 
they would need signatures of 20 percent of registered voters in the 
county to force a special election or 10 percent to get it on the 
June 2016 ballot.

Angelique Perez of the Progressive Business Alliance emphasized the 
organization is separate from the Yuba Patients Coalition, which has 
a pending lawsuit against Yuba County challenging the ordinance. She 
said the alliance consists of a group of business owners.

The ordinance approved by supervisors in March bans outdoor 
cultivation in unincorporated Yuba County and limits indoor grows to 
12 plants in a qualified accessory building.

The proposed nine-page initiative ordinance submitted this week would 
allow six to 12 outdoor or indoor plants on less than an acre 
containing a residence. It would allow 18 plants on 1 to 5 acres, 36 
plants on 5 to 20 acres and 60 plants on 20 or more acres and 
includes procedures for registration fees to help pay for enforcement costs.

The proposed initiative also specifies that supervisors "cannot 
decrease at any time the permitted plant totals allowed in any 
category for parcels of any size."
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom