Hundreds of marijuana plants being grown just feet from homes and a popular Valley country club.
Lieutenant Rick Ko with the Fresno County Sheriff's Department said, "I suspect this is going to be an epidemic if the laws aren't changed soon."
The plants are growing near a nice neighborhood, Southeast of Fresno.
The farm is being monitored by law enforcement but it's alarming to neighbors to have it so close to their homes.
The marijuana is being grown in a fenced area next to the golf course of the Belmont Country Club.
It's a legal pot farm, used to grow medical marijuana. Each plant has a tag with a picture and card with the information of the patient it's being grown for.
Lieutenant Ko said, "Well they are posting medical marijuana advisory cards at their plots, however we still conduct an investigation to see if those are correct."
The marijuana plants are visible through the fence from the homes in the neighborhood as well as by golfers at the Belmont Country Club, which some believe will make them a target for criminals.
Lieutenant Ko said, "There's been a spike in robberies statewide because of marijuana and other drugs where gangs and other groups are targeting places that are storing distributing or manufacturing drugs."
Neighbors are concerned this could bring a bad element to the area. "As a homeowner, I'm not sure I really like that going on. I did not know about it. I think it could bring in more crime," said Margaret, who was golfing that day.
But neighbor G.S. Ranu said, "I personally don't think it's a good idea for anyone to smoke weed but if they grow it legally, I have no problem with it."
CBS47 spoke with a representative of Belmont Country Club. They asked that we not film on their property or interview their members but they issued the following statement: "Neither the property owner nor the tenant farmers have any business or other relationship with the club."
The Fresno Sheriff's Department visits the farm regularly to make sure the growers are in compliance. Until the law is changed or the farmers break the law, deputies can't shut it down.
Again, the plants are guarded around the clock but there is a concern among law enforcement that the farm could be the target of crime, just like the medical marijuana dispensaries in the county that have become the target for robberies.
NewsHawk: Ganjarden: 420 MAGAZINE
Source: CBS47
Author: Kathryn Herr
Contact: CBS47
Copyright: 2010 High Plains Broadcasting LLC.
Website: Marijuana Farm Right Next to Fresno Country Club
Lieutenant Rick Ko with the Fresno County Sheriff's Department said, "I suspect this is going to be an epidemic if the laws aren't changed soon."
The plants are growing near a nice neighborhood, Southeast of Fresno.
The farm is being monitored by law enforcement but it's alarming to neighbors to have it so close to their homes.
The marijuana is being grown in a fenced area next to the golf course of the Belmont Country Club.
It's a legal pot farm, used to grow medical marijuana. Each plant has a tag with a picture and card with the information of the patient it's being grown for.
Lieutenant Ko said, "Well they are posting medical marijuana advisory cards at their plots, however we still conduct an investigation to see if those are correct."
The marijuana plants are visible through the fence from the homes in the neighborhood as well as by golfers at the Belmont Country Club, which some believe will make them a target for criminals.
Lieutenant Ko said, "There's been a spike in robberies statewide because of marijuana and other drugs where gangs and other groups are targeting places that are storing distributing or manufacturing drugs."
Neighbors are concerned this could bring a bad element to the area. "As a homeowner, I'm not sure I really like that going on. I did not know about it. I think it could bring in more crime," said Margaret, who was golfing that day.
But neighbor G.S. Ranu said, "I personally don't think it's a good idea for anyone to smoke weed but if they grow it legally, I have no problem with it."
CBS47 spoke with a representative of Belmont Country Club. They asked that we not film on their property or interview their members but they issued the following statement: "Neither the property owner nor the tenant farmers have any business or other relationship with the club."
The Fresno Sheriff's Department visits the farm regularly to make sure the growers are in compliance. Until the law is changed or the farmers break the law, deputies can't shut it down.
Again, the plants are guarded around the clock but there is a concern among law enforcement that the farm could be the target of crime, just like the medical marijuana dispensaries in the county that have become the target for robberies.
NewsHawk: Ganjarden: 420 MAGAZINE
Source: CBS47
Author: Kathryn Herr
Contact: CBS47
Copyright: 2010 High Plains Broadcasting LLC.
Website: Marijuana Farm Right Next to Fresno Country Club
