Letter to BOS re: Purvine Road cultivation permit

September 18, 2019
Sonoma County Board of Supervisors and County staff

RE: File # UPC!7-0020 Cannabis use permit – 334 Purvine Road, Petaluma

Supervisors,

I am a working ranch owner on Middle Two Rock Road and I am opposed to allowing cannabis cultivation in our Two Rock  Dairy Belt area and in this location.  My family has lived on Middle Two Rock Road for over 150 years – 6 generations of family who have deep roots and who have invested in this place for its beauty, safety, wildlife, and quiet. While our homes may not be 20 to 30 feet apart – we are most definitely a neighborhood and this can be seen from attendance at local harvest fairs, to community church events and fire department fundraisers.  We are a neighborhood. 

The operation of this and any other cannabis operation will be detrimental to the health, safety, peace, and comfort of our beautiful neighborhood.   You understand the reasons that have been clearly communicated from lack of compatibility to the: great impacts of: odor, security issues (and lack of decent Sheriff response time) and even illegal cannabis related tourism with busloads of people coming into our peaceful rural properties.

Cannabis is not agriculture.  It is not an Ag crop.  It is a Federally controlled substance.  Our neighborhood is made up of open grazing lands for dairy and beef cattle and other livestock and it has been this way for hundreds of years.  Evidence shows that the applicants have violated the law with an unpermitted cannabis grow, events and tours, and even over night guests.

Open and relatively low wire fencing keeps cattle from straying from one property to another – not solid 8 foot high security fencing.  Dairy cattle do not require guards, alarms, over bright security lighting and prison camp like fencing. 

I would not be opposed to cannabis operations in well-located industrial areas where they do not present the horrible problems they do in our rural area.  I believe that this Cannabis Permit Application sets a dangerous precedent for our community and I beg each of you to deny this application based upon the grounds presented by my neighbors and the families on Purvine Road.  Outside interests and business people who grow illegal substances should not be allowed to negatively impact our lives and our property values. 

Please do not allow this use on our Ag lands.

Sincerely,

Colleen Mahoney
Middle Two Rock Road
Petaluma, CA  94952