Lancaster California Allows for some Medical Cannabis Cultivation Facilities.

Back in February of 2016, The city of Lancaster generally prohibits the operation of Medical Marijuana dispensaries. The Lancaster Municipal Code now allows medical cannabis to be cultivated only in secured, enclosed, and ventilated structures. The city enforces the cultivation not be visible in order to prevent negative impacts and health and safety measures. The cultivation is solely for medical purposes and it prohibits recreational dispensaries. This change in the ordinance went into effect January of 2017. Each category requires a separate license. The prospective licensee must apply with the purpose and intent to only cultivate marijuana for medical purposes. A cannabis cultivation facility means plants are propagated, grown, harvested, dried, cured, tagged and labeled for tracking. A dispensary license is for procurement, sale, and transport. A cannabis facility is for production of the cannabis for concentrate indirectly or by extraction methods by the means of chemical synthesis or combination of. Licensees can lose their license if they violate any or numerous laws and regulations that are in effect in Lancaster via this changed ordinance. Regarding land and agricultural cultivation: The legal parcel means a parcel of land with legal title. Multiple contiguous parcels can be counted as a single parcel for the purpose of cultivation. Each prospect will have to undergo a conditional use permit and process. The grower will have to supply an environmental report in accordance with local and state laws. This may include a description of source of power, verification, and water source. There are a number of barriers a licensee will need to cross, but once all are met it green go. Some of these barriers may include background check for criminal records, video surveillance, floor plans, general description of the product and service, third parties involvement. Of these video surveillance, back up and alarm systems, illumination in evening hours all seem to be very important to the city. The location must also operate as a business with prohibition of consumption on the premises and standard business practices like disability access, public toilets adequate insurance, posted signs, list of employee names, age, date of birth, residential addresses and phone numbers, odor filtration systems and many more regulations. So in order to get in the medical or recreational marijuana business will take time and can be costly.

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.

California Marijuana Law may save Insolvent Cities. Lancaster Approves Marijuana Cultivation in City Limits

The city of Lancaster has given the final approval March 2017 in allowing commercial cultivation of marijuana for medical purposes, but it banned commercial growing or selling it for recreational use. They approved five as the limit on businesses allowed to grow within the city limits. This will be allowed on Lancaster industrial zoned land according to reports. Places like Desert Hot Springs in the Coachella Valley has been inundated by marijuana growers and developers. Buyers are buying land without utilities or even roads. Some brokers are getting calls from all over the world. The Mayor is all for it. He wants parks, roads, sidewalks and he is looking for the tax revenue to do it. The medium household income is under $35k, and the city declared a financial emergency a few years ago. They have since pushed for dispensaries and cultivation. It seems the city planner will be open to new farmers. Growers in California will be able to apply for state licenses by 2018. The catch is these growers will need to get a local license before the state offers the permit. Will this frenzy also be a growth opportunity to farm land in Antelope Valley? The valley has a long history of farming, so it would be a likely target area and it is closer to customers in Los Angeles than Desert Springs. The city of Lancaster says no currently to recreational use farming, but not sure what LA County approves. There are other issues as some utility firms indicate that the power needs may not be enough in some rural areas, and water is a big issue in southern California. Some of these issues may require an infrastructure study. Perhaps larger operations could use brown water as the water source. There has been a push to use the expansive Antelope Valley as a brown water aquifer. Let nature clean the water and maybe water the buds along the way. Other cities like Cathedral City, and Adelanto have recently accepted applications for growers. The competition for land and permits may spur growth, but first you have to get that permit and then talk to land sellers. Adelanto was also almost insolvent. This seems to be the push for some California cities in desperate need for revenue then they will be lenient with permits. The penalties for cultivating marijuana or operating a grow house illegally (a property used primarily for the cultivation of marijuana) can vary depending on the specific circumstances of the case. Usually the penalties can include heavy fines and incarceration in prison for up to 3 years.