A marijuana growing and drying facility has been proposed at 5450 Edna Road (Hwy 227), just 800 feet from Los Ranchos Elementary School. July, 2020 a proposal for a variance was submitted by the growers to the county. This particular facility began drying marijuana immediately after it became legal in California. At that point no laws regulating the industry had yet been established. We have been told that you could smell the drying marijuana on the playground.
Current law requires a 1000 foot setback. The good news is that more than 70 people wrote a letter to the Planning Department opposing the variance. If you were one of those people, THANK YOU! This forced the issue to be heard by the Planning Commission. In a Zoom meeting on September 10, those letters were presented along with the statements of people who attended the meeting. We understand that only 3 or 4 people spoke in favor of the variance and they were other marijuana growers in the county. Despite the opposition, the Planning Commission voted in favor of the variance 3 to 1.
Fortunately, one of the people who attended and spoke at the Zoom meeting was Will Hunzeker. He is the father of 3 young children who attend Los Ranchos and he lives near the school. Will discovered that the only way to continue to oppose this facility was to file an appeal with the County Board of Supervisors within 2 weeks of the decision to grant the variance, which he did. He also paid the $850 fee for the appeal out of his own pocket
I applaud Will’s persistence and initiative in this matter. I also agree with him that this variance will set a precedent; if it is allowed to stand marijuana will be grown and processed anywhere in this county. I believe that is why other growers spoke in favor of the variance. They too, realize the importance of this case.
We feel strongly that elementary school children should not have the smell of drying marijuana wafting across their playground. Ours is a large and sparsely populated county compared to many others in California. It really isn’t necessary for these businesses to operate so close to schools, parks or residential neighborhoods. If you agree, we hope that you will join us in supporting Will. He has been told that the county will not hear the appeal until after the first of the year. I will contact you again at that time to ask you to email each of the County Supervisors letting them know your feelings on this issue. Your participation at that time will be critical, given that 70 people were completely ignored by the Planning Commission.
March, 2021
It is time to start collecting signatures for the appeal against the marijuana operation at 5450 Edna Road. People from your neighborhood and/or myself will be out in the streets the next 4 weekends to collect these signatures. I have had some volunteers to help with this effort already but can always use more help. Please email, losranchosalliance@gmail.com, if you are interested in collecting signatures in your neighborhood. I know it will be a little more challenging to do this because of COVID concerns, but those out collecting signatures will take extra precautions to make it as smooth as possible. Your support in this effort to support this appeal is greatly appreciated. Also, anyone that lives in SLO county can sign this letter as we'll be seeking support from Supervisors from other areas of the county. If you know of anyone else that may be interested outside of the immediate area around Los Ranchos Elementary School, feel free to forward this email to them. Again, please be on the lookout for people out in your neighborhood collecting signatures.