Is Marijuana Saving Adelanto?

Adelanto is in San Bernardino County just outside of Victorville, Ca. It has lost the Georgia Air Force Base in 92 and has not seen good times since. Recently the down was $2.6 million in the hole and they have elected to become a marijuana cultivation zone which is put them in the in the black or should we say green. The population according to the census is 33,000 with 1% in prison. It has been known as a prison city since it has a privately run detention facility as big employer. The city was founded about a 100 years ago by the inventor of the toaster and iron. The current population is about 50% Hispanic and 30% African-American, but almost half live below the poverty line. Around its 100 anniversary it joined Desert Hot Springs in allowing medical marijuana on an industrial scale. Land prices in the cultivation zone have sky rocketed 1000% from $300k to $3 million for parcels in the allowed area. The city has licensed 40 new facilities and it now rests its hopes on a weed. Currently eight states have legalized recreational marijuana and twenty nine approve medical use. Adelanto and other struggling cities in California are banking on a new “green wave”, which is a Federal crime. We will see if this sticks long term. Industrial hemp may have been a better first start as it is clearly a more green for the environment, while marijuana is a smoking drug with many issues that surround it.

San Bernardino County Apple Valley and Adelanto are promoting Industrial Uses which Spurs Growth

Apple Valley Industrial Growth Low land costs in business friendly city has created fertile ground for industrial developers. Part of this growth is the logistics airport that brings in commerce. Walmart is developing a 370k square foot structure near the SCLA airport and it is partly leased already Adelanto lenient to marijuana Adelanto’s population is around 33,000. It is 50 percent Latino and 30 percent African-American, and roughly 40 percent of the population lives below the poverty line The city late last year officially expanded its medical marijuana cultivation and manufacturing zone, while the mayor opposed it. Since measure R passed the zone where medical cannabis cultivation, manufacturing, distribution, transportation and testing can occur was increased by 160 acres to zones marked “light industrial.” They did this by approving the second reading of an ordinance passed earlier. The Council has increased the overall zone to up to 500 acres. This new extension is near the Air Expressway and Yucca Rd. The voter approved 5 percent excise tax, Measure R, to commercial recreational activities as well, in wake of the passage of California’s Proposition 64, which legalized recreational pot. The mayor is very opposed to it. He is quoted in the Victor Valley Press “I can assure you right now that every vote that comes out of my mouth on recreational, to grow in our city (commercially), will be a nay answer,” Kerr said.