Sonoma County supervisors voiced support Tuesday for striking a delicate balance between two rival factions — marijuana farmers and neighborhood groups — in an increasingly contentious local debate about where cannabis cultivation belongs outside city limits.
Board members signaled they intend to find ways to shield concerned neighbors from cannabis operations without stifling the emerging industry’s hold in Sonoma County. The direction came during a five-hour hearing before a standing-room-only crowd, the first full discussion about the county’s cannabis ordinance since it was enacted more than a year ago.
“We talk about where we don’t want people to grow,” Supervisor David Rabbitt said. “We should also talk about where we want them to (grow), and what can we do to make that more attractive.”
