The Jefferson County commissioners allow the location of industrial marijuana facilities in rural residential areas.
Marrowstone recently faced this issue when a 10,000-plus square-foot greenhouse was proposed.
The county approved this application, causing a two-year, $50,000 battle.
The application was denied after two hearings.
Islanders spent hours of research and preparation to defeat the proposal.
Nobody living in the county’s rural residential areas should experience what we did.
The impact of marijuana facilities result in decreased value and difficulty selling neighboring properties, increased noise levels from large exhaust fans, extremely noxious smells, pollution of water sources and prison-like fencing, cameras and lighting.
We are not opposed to marijuana but we have requested a change to the Jefferson County code to prohibit facilities in rural residential zones.
They would be allowed in agricultural, rural industrial, urban industrial and forest resource zones, the zones which comprise the majority of county land.
Commissioners have received a petition signed by 325 people and more than 160 people attended the administrative hearings expressing their opposition.
Commissioners have indicated they would like to hear from other concerned non-islanders of Jefferson County.
Those opposing them are asking all residents concerned about marijuana facilities near their homes to let the commissioners know by signing a petition at www.gopetition.com/petitions/stoppotinrr.html.
It’s easy.
Let’s tell our commissioners we want to keep our homes and families protected from industrial marijuana facilities.
Carol Gonnella,
Nordland