Katelyn Baker
Well-Known Member
The Deschutes County Commission heard arguments for and against a proposed marijuana production facility to the east of Bend's urban growth boundary Monday.
After 21/2 hours of discussion about the 11,000-square-foot facility off Alfalfa Market Road – including vociferous opposition from neighbors who claimed the application for county approval to establish a marijuana production facility overlooked a variety of neighborhood concerns – county commissioners decided to leave the written comment period open for 14 days after the hearing, rather than the conventional seven-day period.
The appeal, the first of its kind regarding a commercial grow operation for recreational marijuana in Deschutes County, was filed Jan. 17 by Monika and Lance Piatt, who live next to the proposed facility. During the meeting, the Piatts submitted a petition for the record with the names of about 65 neighbors opposed to the marijuana operation. The reasons cited in their testimony ranged from concerns about an increase in traffic on Alfalfa Market Road, to a possible uptick in crime.
Liz Dickson, a lawyer with Dickson Hatfield LLC who represented the Piatts, criticized the application for not accounting for certain aspects of a marijuana grow operation, including access to the property, access to water and staffing needs for the facility. She further criticized the zoning of the surrounding neighborhood as exclusive farm use, which she said didn't fit the character of the neighborhood off Alfalfa Market Road.
"What you have is a room full of people who live on five-acre parcels or less who are very concerned with the proximity," Dickson said. "And I think they're justified in that."
Lisa Klemp, attorney with Bryant Emerson LLC who represented the property owner, Rogelio Rubio, countered that many of the claims raised by the neighbors were irrelevant to Deschutes County's statutes and outside the scope of the hearing.
"I think staff did a great job in analyzing the applicable criteria and determining that, in fact, the application met the applicable criteria," Klemp said.
While the oral comment period is closed, Ripper said citizens can continue to add new written comments to the official record until 5 p.m. March 20. The applicant and appealing parties have until March 27 to respond to new evidence, and the applicant will have an additional week after that to submit new arguments. The board must reach a decision by May 18, 150 days after the initial application was deemed complete.
News Moderator: Katelyn Baker 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Deschutes County Marijuana Hearing Draws A Crowd
Author: Stephen Hamway
Contact: 541-382-1811
Photo Credit: Bigstock
Website: The Bulletin
After 21/2 hours of discussion about the 11,000-square-foot facility off Alfalfa Market Road – including vociferous opposition from neighbors who claimed the application for county approval to establish a marijuana production facility overlooked a variety of neighborhood concerns – county commissioners decided to leave the written comment period open for 14 days after the hearing, rather than the conventional seven-day period.
The appeal, the first of its kind regarding a commercial grow operation for recreational marijuana in Deschutes County, was filed Jan. 17 by Monika and Lance Piatt, who live next to the proposed facility. During the meeting, the Piatts submitted a petition for the record with the names of about 65 neighbors opposed to the marijuana operation. The reasons cited in their testimony ranged from concerns about an increase in traffic on Alfalfa Market Road, to a possible uptick in crime.
Liz Dickson, a lawyer with Dickson Hatfield LLC who represented the Piatts, criticized the application for not accounting for certain aspects of a marijuana grow operation, including access to the property, access to water and staffing needs for the facility. She further criticized the zoning of the surrounding neighborhood as exclusive farm use, which she said didn't fit the character of the neighborhood off Alfalfa Market Road.
"What you have is a room full of people who live on five-acre parcels or less who are very concerned with the proximity," Dickson said. "And I think they're justified in that."
Lisa Klemp, attorney with Bryant Emerson LLC who represented the property owner, Rogelio Rubio, countered that many of the claims raised by the neighbors were irrelevant to Deschutes County's statutes and outside the scope of the hearing.
"I think staff did a great job in analyzing the applicable criteria and determining that, in fact, the application met the applicable criteria," Klemp said.
While the oral comment period is closed, Ripper said citizens can continue to add new written comments to the official record until 5 p.m. March 20. The applicant and appealing parties have until March 27 to respond to new evidence, and the applicant will have an additional week after that to submit new arguments. The board must reach a decision by May 18, 150 days after the initial application was deemed complete.
News Moderator: Katelyn Baker 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Deschutes County Marijuana Hearing Draws A Crowd
Author: Stephen Hamway
Contact: 541-382-1811
Photo Credit: Bigstock
Website: The Bulletin
