Jacob Bell
New Member
County supervisors backed up their 2010 medical marijuana ordinance Tuesday to keep pot gardens away from schools after hearing one woman's plea to keep her crop.
Janneen Blandino, 56, appealed a Sept. 28 notice of abatement that ordered her to uproot her medical marijuana plants because they are about 550 feet from Berrendos Middle School.
Disabled since 2000, Blandino uses the marijuana to treat constant pain from injuries to her back and neck, she said. She stopped using prescription pills and started growing medicinal marijuana in 2006.
Although she had known the county had passed a marijuana ordinance, she didn't know that she was in violation of it, Blandino said.
She had obtained doctor's recommendations from a Redding clinic every year and even had county law enforcement come inspect her home more than once, she said.
"I've never had to do this," she told the board. "I asked a lot of people around there and they don't think it's a nuisance."
Blandino's appeal is the first for the new ordinance. She is the only marijuana grower that responded to several abatement notices that were served in other areas of the county in late September.
The law now forbids anyone to grow marijuana within 1,000 feet of a school and Berrendos Middle School's parking lot entrance is visible from Blandino's driveway.
Sheriff's Lt. Dave Greer stepped forward during the appeal hearing Tuesday afternoon as a resident of Blandino's neighborhood.
"I'm absolutely opposed to her growing marijuana on that property," Greer said.
The property is also very close to a church and a high school bus stop, he said. People have been bothered, but didn't say anything to her.
"People are just trying to be neighborly," he said.
The board also heard comments from Antelope Elementary School District Superintendent Todd Brose, medical marijuana activist John Prinz and Sheriff's Deputy Jeff Garrett.
Brose supported abatement because students from Berrendos walk past Blandino's property every day, he said.
"We would ask that you don't accept the appeal, that it stays and the abatement continues," Brose said.
On the other end of the issue, Prinz rekindled the argument that patient's need their medication and supported Blandino's efforts to keep her plants.
Garrett, a member of the Marijuana Eradication Team, rehashed the incidents surrounding Blandino being served with the notice of abatement.
Assistant County Counsel Arthur Wylene spoke on behalf of the sheriff's department presenting the legality of the action taken against Blandino.
"That's simply not an appropriate grow site in Tehama County," Wylene said.
After hearing both sides of the issue, the board voted unanimously to uphold the ordinance and passed a resolution for Blandino to abate, or uproot, her marijuana plants.
Blandino, who had already uprooted the crop in response to the first notice, was frustrated, she said. She kept her plants caged in a fence with a locked gate, protected by barbed wire above.
She put in a motion sensor light and surveillance camera and tried to keep the plants leaned toward her house, away from the neighbor's fence, Blandino said. She didn't have wild parties or people coming in and out all the time.
She said she spends most of her time at home. Her disabilities keep her from going out very much.
She uses marijuana to make butter, oil and bread as well as smokes it, she said. She even uses the oil to soothe arthritis in her joints.
Now, she doesn't know how she will get her medication when her current supply runs out, she said.
"How do they want me to grow somewhere else when you're not allowed to transport it?" she said.
Blandino's crop is one of many that were tagged this season, which is the first growing season that law enforcement were able to put the ordinance into effect.
The ordinance was passed at the end of the growing season last year, Greer said. Otherwise, they would have stopped her sooner.
Before the 2010 ordinance, there was nothing anyone could do legally, Greer said. Now, Blandino has to stop.
"She's a nice lady," he said in a later interview. "But it is a nuisance. Maybe it does help. I don't know, but it's way too close to the school."
News Hawk- Jacob Ebel 420 MAGAZINE
Source: redbluffdailynews.com
Author: Andrea Wagner
Contact: Contact Us
Copyright: Red Bluff Daily News
Website: Tehama County stays course on marijuana ordinance
Janneen Blandino, 56, appealed a Sept. 28 notice of abatement that ordered her to uproot her medical marijuana plants because they are about 550 feet from Berrendos Middle School.
Disabled since 2000, Blandino uses the marijuana to treat constant pain from injuries to her back and neck, she said. She stopped using prescription pills and started growing medicinal marijuana in 2006.
Although she had known the county had passed a marijuana ordinance, she didn't know that she was in violation of it, Blandino said.
She had obtained doctor's recommendations from a Redding clinic every year and even had county law enforcement come inspect her home more than once, she said.
"I've never had to do this," she told the board. "I asked a lot of people around there and they don't think it's a nuisance."
Blandino's appeal is the first for the new ordinance. She is the only marijuana grower that responded to several abatement notices that were served in other areas of the county in late September.
The law now forbids anyone to grow marijuana within 1,000 feet of a school and Berrendos Middle School's parking lot entrance is visible from Blandino's driveway.
Sheriff's Lt. Dave Greer stepped forward during the appeal hearing Tuesday afternoon as a resident of Blandino's neighborhood.
"I'm absolutely opposed to her growing marijuana on that property," Greer said.
The property is also very close to a church and a high school bus stop, he said. People have been bothered, but didn't say anything to her.
"People are just trying to be neighborly," he said.
The board also heard comments from Antelope Elementary School District Superintendent Todd Brose, medical marijuana activist John Prinz and Sheriff's Deputy Jeff Garrett.
Brose supported abatement because students from Berrendos walk past Blandino's property every day, he said.
"We would ask that you don't accept the appeal, that it stays and the abatement continues," Brose said.
On the other end of the issue, Prinz rekindled the argument that patient's need their medication and supported Blandino's efforts to keep her plants.
Garrett, a member of the Marijuana Eradication Team, rehashed the incidents surrounding Blandino being served with the notice of abatement.
Assistant County Counsel Arthur Wylene spoke on behalf of the sheriff's department presenting the legality of the action taken against Blandino.
"That's simply not an appropriate grow site in Tehama County," Wylene said.
After hearing both sides of the issue, the board voted unanimously to uphold the ordinance and passed a resolution for Blandino to abate, or uproot, her marijuana plants.
Blandino, who had already uprooted the crop in response to the first notice, was frustrated, she said. She kept her plants caged in a fence with a locked gate, protected by barbed wire above.
She put in a motion sensor light and surveillance camera and tried to keep the plants leaned toward her house, away from the neighbor's fence, Blandino said. She didn't have wild parties or people coming in and out all the time.
She said she spends most of her time at home. Her disabilities keep her from going out very much.
She uses marijuana to make butter, oil and bread as well as smokes it, she said. She even uses the oil to soothe arthritis in her joints.
Now, she doesn't know how she will get her medication when her current supply runs out, she said.
"How do they want me to grow somewhere else when you're not allowed to transport it?" she said.
Blandino's crop is one of many that were tagged this season, which is the first growing season that law enforcement were able to put the ordinance into effect.
The ordinance was passed at the end of the growing season last year, Greer said. Otherwise, they would have stopped her sooner.
Before the 2010 ordinance, there was nothing anyone could do legally, Greer said. Now, Blandino has to stop.
"She's a nice lady," he said in a later interview. "But it is a nuisance. Maybe it does help. I don't know, but it's way too close to the school."
News Hawk- Jacob Ebel 420 MAGAZINE
Source: redbluffdailynews.com
Author: Andrea Wagner
Contact: Contact Us
Copyright: Red Bluff Daily News
Website: Tehama County stays course on marijuana ordinance
