Pubdate: Fri, 17 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 YUBA COUNTY SUSPENDS $34K POT PENALTY The Rocklin-based owners of a Linda mobile home park have had a $34,000 penalty suspended for three years following the first appeal hearing under Yuba County's new marijuana cultivation ordinance. Yuba County supervisors voted unanimously Wednesday to uphold a penalty imposed on Brikemen LLC, as owners of the Walnut Grove Mobile Home Park on Garden Avenue. The hearing was the first of what is expected to be a string of appeals on alleged violations of the ordinance approved March 10 that bans outdoor marijuana grows. Code enforcement officers said they found 98 outdoor plants being grown by Christerfer Suphasiang on the property during a June 8 inspection. Suphasiang was also cited by code enforcement, Deputy County Counsel John Vacek said. Supervisors suspended the $34,106 fine against Brikemen for three years on condition the corporation post a bond for the amount of the penalty minus $4,116 it has already paid. It is also contingent on there being no further code enforcement violations on the property. As long as those conditions are met, the county won't file a lien on the property and the case will be closed at the end of three years. In a June 22 letter to the county, Brikeman representative Brian Menhold said he had been trying for 45 days to get the tenants to remove the plants. He noted in the letter that under state law, the corporation is not allowed to remove the plants itself without facing criminal penalties and fines. Along with banning outdoor marijuana grows, the county ordinance limits the number of indoor plants to 12 in a qualified accessory structure. The $34,106 penalty reflects enforcement costs accrued through the hearing, the staff report states. Along with violating the outdoor ban, Brikemen LLC and Suphasiang are accused of failing to register the cultivation with the county and not growing the plants within a structure. Two additional code enforcement hearings related to the marijuana cultivation ordinance are scheduled for later this month. - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom