After hearing from dozens of supporters and opponents of a proposed ordinance that would allow commercial cultivation of immature, non-flowering cannabis plants in existing Half Moon Bay greenhouses, the Half Moon Bay City Council elected late Tuesday night to throw the decision back to the voters.
Coastsiders representing both sides packed the Ted Adcock Community Center on Tuesday night for the regularly scheduled City Council meeting. Several of the opponents wore orange beads around their necks and held papers with the words "please no commercial cultivation of marijuana" typed on them.
Opponents were critical of the city's desire to begin the ordinance process before completing a study of similar jurisdictions in states where commercial cannabis is legal. They are concerned that allowing nursery starts in the area would lead to a perceived acceptance of the drug and encourage its use among the city's youth. A few people referred to it as a "foot in the door" that would lead to cultivation of mature plants. Members of the Latino community highlighted a fear that farmworkers working with cannabis might be subject to U.S. Immigration and Custom Enforcement raids given that the drug is considered illegal by the federal government.
Supporters argued that the agricultural community is struggling. They said allowing cannabis cultivation may be the only way to preserve the city's identity as a farming town. Two Half Moon Bay farmers--John Muller and Erich Shickenberg--spoke about those struggles. They talked about how they would like to take advantage of a potential ordinance allowing these nursery starts.
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