Supervisor Estelle Fennell Talks Cannabis

This article first appeared in the Emerald Tribune. (Follow them on Facebook for more cannabis news.) The following article is reprinted here with their gracious permission.

Second District Supervisor Estelle Fennell represents a huge portion of the county’s growers. It’s been nearly a year since we last checked in with Supervisor Fennell. In part one of our two-part interview, she talks about EIR’s, carpetbaggers, and the interplay between the various government agencies regulating the industry.

Estelle Fennell

Estelle Fennell [Photo from Emerald Tribune]

Emerald Tribune: What has changed since we last sat down with you in November 2016?Estelle Fennell: A lot has changed since then. The personal use and adult use voter initiative was passed. That now is affecting everything we’re doing at the County level, and the State. We’ve already passed an ordinance to say that we were folding adult use and recreational use in with our medical marijuana ordinance.That’s an extremely important step for us to take, because it ensures local control. If we didn’t do that, the state could actually issue a license without the county having done so. It’s really important for Humboldt to maintain that local control. We have conducted numerous, very productive workshops, and our revised ordinance and EIR will be going before the Planning Commission in early November and it will then come to the Board of Supervisors for a final vote.Another thing that’s changed is that we have become very involved at the state level. I’m on the Cannabis Working Group with the California State Association of Counties (CSAC). They’ve stepped up tremendously in the last year.

It’s really important for counties like Humboldt to have a say. We’re a cultivation county specifically. When the state legislature is making its mind up about issues, they have to take our concerns into account. So the bottom line is that CSAC is working with the counties now. The Rural County Representatives of California has also stepped in and been very proactive in representing rural counties to the state.

At the federal level we now have the Trump administration, and just what that means we don’t know. His Attorney General has been a vocal opponent of cannabis. However, the government process should ensure that previous guidelines from the Attorney General’s office will be followed by that office to one degree or another

At this point we’re still adhering to the Cole Memo, which means the feds have had a hands-off approach, allowing the state to do the best they can. All of our ordinances are pursuant to Cole. I would say we’re even stronger than what Cole calls for. We are doing our very best to have an impact on the black market. No amount of helicopters was able to do that.

The big issue is the cash economy, and the fact that because cannabis is rated as a Schedule 1 drug, the money can’t be banked. How can we protect the security of all those legal funds? Colorado created a bank, and that didn’t seem to work very well.

I’m part of a working group at CSAC that deals with banking and how to handle cash. We’re talking about something along the lines of a joint powers agreement with the idea that Counties and cities will handle taxation of cannabis in a safe and efficient manner.

If we could get to the point where everything is normalized, those funds could go into the banks. They could be used for other things that the community needs. Banks can loan for mortgages, there are all sorts of ways that outstanding community issues can be addressed by dealing with banks. That can’t happen at this point, but I’m hopeful that somewhere down the line the legislature in Washington DC will see the wisdom of that.

If they would at least allow the states a chance to prove themselves, I think that would go a long way. I just don’t see it rolling back. Even the California Association of Counties was loathe to really deal with this just a few short years ago. They did not want to deal with it, and now they’re all in.

Emerald Tribune:Will there be any new cannabis ordinance before the end of the year?

Estelle Fennell: I’m working on it right now. I have stacks of different things that we’re working on for our revised ordinance. We’re having workshops, before going in front of the Planning Commission with our Environmental Impact Report (EIR). Then it will come to the supervisors, and we’re hoping to have it all done before the beginning of the year, when the state says they’ll be ready to go with their licenses. I’ve been to numerous meetings at the state level. It is very challenging for them to come up with how they’re going to do this. It’s huge.

I just got a summary from the California Department of Food and Agriculture of what will be in their regulations. They haven’t published them yet, but they’re very close. They did theirs under what’s called an emergency ordinance, so they don’t have to do much public outreach. Once they’ve come up with the plan, there’s very little chance to change it after that point. They just hand us what they came up with, and we handle it

They’re very user-friendly. They’ve been very very helpful in terms of providing updates on how they’re moving along to establish the website Cal Cannabis (http://calcannabis.cdfa.ca.gov/). Anybody who’s interested can keep tabs on what they’re up to, so they’re doing a good job. The bureau will be coming out with their regulations pretty soon too.

Emerald Tribune: That’s also supposed to happen before January?

Estelle Fennell: We’ve said this before and we’ll probably say it again, but Humboldt County really has stepped up to this challenge. We recognized that we needed to get ahead of this, because it wasn’t going to get any easier as time went on. It only gets more difficult for people who join later on. That’s what we’re seeing now with cities and counties that have not done the kind of work that we have, it’s really a challenge to be ready for January 1st 2018.

Emerald Tribune: Could you talk a little bit about the feedback so you’ve been getting at the workshops?

Estelle Fennell: An issue has arisen with regard to cities in Humboldt County. The City of Fortuna is opposed to cannabis cultivation, and pretty opposed to anything having to do with it.

In our original ordinance, we required that new permits be tied to prime agricultural soil. Prime agricultural soil will mean two things: it’s flat, and it’s well suited for agriculture. When we put that forward in the first place, the discussion was, who’s going to be putting these plants in the ground? Most people grow them in pots or in greenhouses. Farms are few and far between who put it in the ground.

We decided it was the environmentally superior way to go, but it pushed the new grows into areas that were mapped already for prime agricultural soil. If you look at a map of prime agricultural, it doesn’t look like there’s much there. There’s 2,948 acres of prime ag in Humboldt County. Some of that happened to be around the City of Fortuna in some areas.

Prime agricultural soil is actually hard to find in the more traditional growing communities, because those are up in the hills. They’re agricultural, but not prime. They’re more for cattle grazing and timber, they’re not for growing food. But guess what? There’s prime agricultural soil located in several areas around Fortuna.

That brought up what’s become an issue with what’s known as “the sphere of influence,” which is the area that the city could expand into eventually in the future if they built out. If the city doesn’t allow cultivation, do we want to put extra limits in those areas in its sphere of influence? Do we want to ask for conditional-use permits, or something of that nature?

After hearing all of the concerns that were raised to me, I think the one that is the most lasting is odor. Maybe there are ways that can be dealt with. In the new ordinance, we’re going to be addressing what can happen in the sphere of influence of the cities, or a thousand feet from a city line, if it’s completely built out.

Other feedback that we’ve gotten is the concern about roads. The roads are definitely an issue, but they’re mainly an issue because of people who are not permitted for growing.

People have complained about the noise from generators. Some people are very concerned about noise pollution. So these are all areas that we can address. We have already addressed them, but we’re going to kind of fine-tune the list of the main concerns we’ve had.

A lot of these issues are covered by the ordinance, but people are ignoring them. Another issue that’s become very clear is light pollution from people who are doing mixed-light grows. According to our ordinance, you can’t let that light go out into the environment.

Those complaints that we’ve gotten are genuine and come from all sides of the community. The flip side of that is the vision for what it will be like when people do go through the process. It will look so much better than it does now, or arguably than it has been for many years.

Emerald Tribune: Have you heard any specific concerns from within the cannabis industry?

Estelle Fennell: Yes. In fact, some of those things that I mentioned actually come from inside and outside the cannabis community. Many people who have been involved in cultivation for many years are concerned about the activities of some of the newer people who have come in, who aren’t connected to the community, and don’t really care. They’ve gone out there and cut trees down, and diverted water, all those things. We get complaints from people who are going through the process, saying we’re trying to do it well and right, and these guys are just destroying our environment. So the complaints came from both inside and outside.

Other complaints that we’ve gotten from the cultivation community have been around things like the excise tax. For people who are applying for new permits, and haven’t been able to do any cultivation this year, according to our ordinance, once they got their permit they would have had to pay for the whole of 2017. If it’s 10,000 square feet of mixed light, that would be $20,000. That’s a lot of money, especially if you haven’t been able to operate your business.

We just addressed that at yesterday’s meeting. What we’re doing now is we’re prorating it. So new people who went through the process, and did not cultivate because they didn’t have their permit yet, will be prorated from when they are actually getting their permit. That might be for 2 or 3 months, which I think is fair.

So we respond as much as we can. We have the ability to respond to that concern right away, because it’s in the excise tax. With other concerns, for instance about the sphere of influence, we could not address that because of a settlement we reached with HuMMAP.

The settlement said that we couldn’t make any changes to the ordinance until after we did an EIR, and it took until now to get that done. I understand that the concern was that we should have done an EIR, but we had already planned to do one.

I get it, I understand the concerns but it annoyed me a little bit. Because within a month or two, I saw that there were some issues we could have taken care of, if we had access to the ordinance. Now with the EIR, we should be able to make those adjustments and so I’m very happy. It’s been a very eventful year to say the least, especially if you’re in my shoes.

Supervisor Fennell can be reached at her county email at [email protected]. For Part Two of Emerald Tribunes Q & A, check back next week.

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105 Comments
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Dan Fuller
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Dan Fuller
6 years ago

Too little too late!!! She’s up for reelection so of course NOW she wants to get vocal, especially about Cannabis!! She wants ALL the Green Rush votes she can get, since most of those who have lived here awhile know she’s about useless, except for blowing her own horn!!!!

Dave Kirby
Guest
Dave Kirby
6 years ago
Reply to  Dan Fuller

I’ve lived here 40 years and I think she is doing a good job for us but then again I don’t live in Bridgeville. You have my sympathy. By the way I had to smile when you used the term “greater Bridgeville”. As far as pot regulation goes I think at all levels of government they need to realize that until prices stabilize this whole industry is in extreme flux and todays regulations may be total pipe dreams in the near future.

Dan Fuller
Guest
Dan Fuller
6 years ago
Reply to  Dave Kirby

That phrase, Greater Bridgeville Area is an official one for all the outlying areas, such as Swain’s Flat where I live as well as up & sometimes including Dinsmore!!!

Joshsour
Guest
Joshsour
6 years ago
Reply to  Dan Fuller

She has been [edit] of a certain sour business owner in Sohum for years. Representing the greediest of Growers for some fianancial backing. We need someone that represents all not who pays you the most. We need a rep that is looking out for the little guy and not pushing the agenda of a certain not so Sweet donar. It’s time for a change and that starts with some new representation from Sohum.

Buzzardsnest
Guest
Buzzardsnest
6 years ago
Reply to  Joshsour

🤣😂😆

Ernestine
Guest
Ernestine
6 years ago
Reply to  Buzzardsnest

Yeppers

Paytention
Guest
Paytention
6 years ago
Reply to  Dan Fuller

Fennell is not up for re-election. She was just re-elected and 78% of the voters voted for her. That is ,more than a landslide victory.

George Straw
Guest
George Straw
6 years ago

We have got a huge drug problem in this country that is costing us billions of dollars every year and millions of lives destroyed and ended. Look at all the homeless zombies out there and a third of them are that way because of drugs.

So what does our incompetent supervisors & Eureka city council people do? They buy in lock, stock, & barrel. They want Eureka to become know as the drug capital of California. They are selling their souls and our kid’s futures chasing the imaginary riches they think drug taxes will bring.

Dan Fuller
Guest
Dan Fuller
6 years ago
Reply to  George Straw

Cannabis is not a drug, nor is what is known as a “Gateway Drug” it’s a medicinal herb that can also be used for enjoyment, without having to worry about dying from an overdose!!! Which a definite possibility when dealing with “Real Drugs” Meth, Heroin, Bath Salts etc so on!!! That’s my $.02 worth on it, YMMV!!!

Diesel DRW - Curb Weight 7762 lbs
Guest
Diesel DRW - Curb Weight 7762 lbs
6 years ago
Reply to  Dan Fuller

Weeeelllllllllll Dave, if you are for it, I am likely to be against it!

Cannabis has resulted in the current mess we see in Humboldt. Cannabis ignorance, by the County, has resulted in leaders like Estelle. Humboldt is full of dope, but too conservative to rule Cannabis in time. This money grab at the 11th hour, will fail, as the dopers leave in droves..

Nice going Estelle! You have shown yourself to be incompetent and corrupt AGAIN!

Defeat Estelle! Someone with brains, please run against her!

guestagain
Guest
guestagain
6 years ago

The County? Maybe the State should have provided some guidelines sometime over the last 20 years since 215 was passed instead of sticking their heads in the sand. I do agree with your comment below , though… “if its medicine its a drug”. but that sure puts laughter, the best medicine, in a weird place, doesn’t it?

Diesel DRW - Curb Weight 7762 lbs
Guest
Diesel DRW - Curb Weight 7762 lbs
6 years ago
Reply to  Dan Fuller

If you call it “medicine” then it is a drug.

Buzzardsnest
Guest
Buzzardsnest
6 years ago
Reply to  Dan Fuller

If its not a drug then what is being treated like one dan?Sorry to say but is a drug maybe not a class1 but a drug. I should now. If it wasn’t, people wouldn’t be killing,robbing, and making billions of dollars off it! Period. If it alters the brain or moterskills its a drug. Weed does both. Cocaine is a plant too and is hard to overdose in natural form. Nowadaze with wax,dabs n vape….its a fucking drug!!!

Truthy
Guest
6 years ago
Reply to  Buzzardsnest

👍

guestagain
Guest
guestagain
6 years ago
Reply to  Buzzardsnest

if it wasn’t subject to prohibition and forced into a black market people wouldn’t killing or robbing over it either. Separate the results of prohibition from actually growing a plant, if you can.

Jorge Cervantes
Guest
Jorge Cervantes
6 years ago
Reply to  Buzzardsnest

@ buzzardsnest Coca is a plant ! Cocaine is a derivative like Opium.

No locals? Really?
Guest
No locals? Really?
6 years ago

Opium isn’t a dirivitive it’s what you get when you look the sap down
Morphine is a derivitive. Heroin is an analog of morphine

Buzzardsnest
Guest
Buzzardsnest
6 years ago

Thank you. I was gonna say the same. I respect Jorge but u missed the mark there buddy…

Dan Fuller
Guest
Dan Fuller
6 years ago

*derivative

Dr Lev
Guest
Dr Lev
6 years ago

Dude you are my hero… hope u survive “illegalization” and all the yuppiness

Jeffersonion
Guest
Jeffersonion
6 years ago
Reply to  Dan Fuller

Oh yeah it’s a drug, one that distorts reality and creates lethargy

local observer
Guest
local observer
6 years ago
Reply to  Jeffersonion

but its the leading remedy for nostalgic delusion which seems to plague most 50-60 year olds these days. it gets you to admit you are a dumbass and Humblizes.

Taurus Ballzhoff
Guest
Taurus Ballzhoff
6 years ago
Reply to  local observer

Nostalgic delusion… Excellent choice of words. 100 points!

RT
Guest
RT
6 years ago
Reply to  Dan Fuller

Not a drug? I think you’ve been in that cannabis fog a bit too long Dan.

CA Armstrong
Guest
CA Armstrong
6 years ago
Reply to  George Straw

Please do a little more research sir. The ‘zombies’ you speak of have little to do with MJ.
MUCH more to do with meth and heroin and YES BOOZE!
Do you drink sir?

Buzzardsnest
Guest
Buzzardsnest
6 years ago
Reply to  CA Armstrong

No

It's a Farce
Guest
It's a Farce
6 years ago

I had a lot of respect for Estele back when she ran KMUD News. I thought she got a bad deal there and insulted terribly when she left- she had done a stellar job for us out here in the hills!! Then that organization for private property rights- I respected her and could relate to some of what that group wanted. But many people I knew badmouthed her again. Then…she became supervisor and I have only seen her set up the gears for the big cannabis operations to thrive and throw the mom n pops under the wheel. I don’t trust anything she says anymore. I think she’s a sell-out and a corporate lackey. Maybe all the insults turned her into that? I don’t know but I liked her a lot more back in the day. She is possibly the most corrupt supervisor we have (well, right after Rex Bohn of course!) Every word out of her mouth is impossible for me to trust. I’m sorry, Estelle! But I know I’m not alone in this.

Dave Kirby
Guest
Dave Kirby
6 years ago
Reply to  It's a Farce

In your opinion when is a cannabis operation “big”? You’ll get a lot of different answers around here.

tired of all this
Guest
tired of all this
6 years ago
Reply to  It's a Farce

I agree with you 100%.
Odor??? Hardly the problem. The problem is that LAW ENFORCEMENT has turned a lazy eye on the HUNDREDS of mega grows that are unpermitted and who’s presence has crashed the cannabis economy. With NOTHING said or done by sold out Estelle.

Dave Kirby
Guest
Dave Kirby
6 years ago

It wasn’t the “mega” grows that crashed the scene in was the quasi legalization for ” medical ” pot which was a joke from day one until the recent legalization of recreational finished it off. When dozens of dispensaries opened in towns with a handful of actual pharmacies it was only a matter of time. It is true that C.A.M.P., M.E.T. et al acted as a price support program and actually had buyers thinking that growers were under eminent threat of jail time which it turned out was way over stated. It was a heck of a ride and a lot of dead presidents passed our way now its about to change into an ag product that will require a different set of expectations. What the supes did or do will have little effect on the bottom line.

Ed Voice
Guest
Ed Voice
6 years ago
Reply to  Dave Kirby

Keep drinking that Kool-aid Dave. The Supervisors are only looking out for the bottom line, keeping the Humboldt brand and name in the sales and marketing scheme of things, all the way to their Bitcoin account. It sounds like you are still waiting for the ship that already sailed. If you were not on-board when Colorado got on-board, you missed the boat.

There is no distribution network from Humboldt County to other more populated areas in California, they will have their own brand closer, cheaper, just as organic and enlightening. No one is going to drive to Humboldt, like they drive or fly to Napa Valley for their ag products. If you think they can grow better grapes and make better wine, wait till you see what they do with cannabis.

I am glad to see the black market underground economy take a hit and look for new digs, their world is getting smaller. It also means there is hope for the South Fork Eel and Mattole watersheds…

No locals? Really?
Guest
No locals? Really?
6 years ago
Reply to  Ed Voice

It’s comments like that that show ignorance
The “legal” weed is having more of an effect than my 25 plants dude

Sunnybank Roar
Guest
Sunnybank Roar
6 years ago
Reply to  It's a Farce

Listen to her words, she never really says anything.

Recall Estelle
Guest
Recall Estelle
6 years ago
Reply to  Sunnybank Roar

She did enough promoting of our former DA to act just like him with false concerns while saying absolutely nothing pertinent about the problems at hand. Drink the Fennell Kool-Aid it tastes just like the Gallegos Kool-Aid. Does everyone feel groovy now?
Peace, Love and Cannabis

Diesel DRW - Curb Weight 7762 lbs
Guest
Diesel DRW - Curb Weight 7762 lbs
6 years ago
Reply to  Sunnybank Roar

No one in Humboldt EVER says ANYTHING of substance. The most selfish and entitled persons on earth live here, and Estelle is one of the leaders in selfish and entitled! Also dishonest and incapable of doing anything to benefit anyone but herself…

It’s time to stop the bleeding – dump the supervisor’s NOW.

CA Armstrong
Guest
CA Armstrong
6 years ago

The irony of your comment(s)……

Ernestine
Guest
Ernestine
6 years ago
Reply to  CA Armstrong

Yeppers

Jeffersonion
Guest
Jeffersonion
6 years ago
Reply to  Sunnybank Roar

She’s Irish!

Buzzardsnest
Guest
Buzzardsnest
6 years ago
Reply to  It's a Farce

As a white male who actually voted and now labeled a nazi,I say. Your fired!

Dan Fuller
Guest
Dan Fuller
6 years ago
Reply to  Buzzardsnest

*you’re

Buzzardsnest
Guest
Buzzardsnest
6 years ago
Reply to  Dan Fuller

Reelly? Lol

Dan Fuller
Guest
Dan Fuller
6 years ago
Reply to  It's a Farce

Not in the least!!!! I trust her about this much !!!

Jesse
Guest
Jesse
6 years ago

Estelle is a joke all of the supervisors are jokes have you seen our roads in southern humoldt. What about all the zombie trimsients wandering the streets looking for “work”. Lastly is anyone proud of the condition that our schools are in? And all Estelle and the other dipshits known as supervisors got is marijuana ordinances on their agendas can’t wait for election time again.

B Brown
Guest
B Brown
6 years ago

Price stability correlates with supply and demand. The Supply has quadrupled with the “green rush” yet there is no where to sell it. No Co-ops, no central location to bring the finished product. No new dispensaries. If the Greedy County Government wants our money they should ensure a market for our product. “Seed to Shelf” sounds great, but unrealistic. Right now there should be someone documenting everyone of these growers figures: amount grown (# of plants), amount processed (# of pounds) amount sold (to whom for what price) and publish it.
Right now the Black Market is still alive and well.

Diesel DRW - Curb Weight 7762 lbs
Guest
Diesel DRW - Curb Weight 7762 lbs
6 years ago
Reply to  B Brown

GET POT OUT OF HUMBOLDT! ELECT ESTELLE AGAIN!

Buzzardsnest
Guest
Buzzardsnest
6 years ago
Reply to  B Brown

Yes it is 🤑

Ed Voice
Guest
Ed Voice
6 years ago

After watching and hearing, first hand, what pre and post candidate Fennell became, was the embodiment of development and industry. I watched as she wanted to change the whole landscape from rural to urban, with her influence and seat on the Humboldt LAFCo Commission that approved expansion of district boundaries and sphere of influence within some of Southern Humboldt’s largest Community Services Districts. Not only for growth, but new growth and new development in the most unincorporated areas of Southern Humboldt. Without any consideration or impacts to our rivers, creeks or streams and the other indigenous community that could not speak for itself. It was the perfect storm for development and she had a seat at the table.

I remember her debate with then Supervisor Clendenen at the Mateel, she could not stop talking about how she was head over heels in favor of the Caltrans Richardson Grove STAA Improvement Project; to allow even larger trucks to bring even more goods and services to Humboldt County, with no remorse or thought to preserve ancient redwoods. Or that she was 110% behind the development plans, water usage and rezoning of the Southern Humboldt Community Park.

Even when she worked at KMUD News, I always wondered why the degrading effects of commercial instream gravel extraction or the Benbow Dam was never on her radar, never wanting to discuss it on the mud, not even if it was effecting the South Fork Eel River and wildlife habitat.

And now with cannabis, she’s in development heaven…

Cove guy
Guest
Cove guy
6 years ago
Reply to  Ed Voice

Seems like we need to Drain the swamp and let em know we are tired of the shenanigans the stupidvisors pull. These are the people we elect to represent us we need to get some new ones

Ed Voice
Guest
Ed Voice
6 years ago
Reply to  Cove guy

Good luck with that and godspeed…

Taurus Ballzhoff
Guest
Taurus Ballzhoff
6 years ago
Reply to  Ed Voice

Thanks, as usual, for being the one person with a level and informed viewpoint. I for one intend to retire from my healthcare job on the north coast, and start selling dope cupcakes and joints to seniors and tourists in Pismo Beach…

If you can’t beat them, get high!

Buzzardsnest
Guest
Buzzardsnest
6 years ago
Reply to  Cove guy

Also, build the dam wall! (Between north and south cali)

Recall Estelle
Guest
Recall Estelle
6 years ago

Don’t blame me I voted for Bud Rogers.

Cabin in the woods
Guest
Cabin in the woods
6 years ago
Reply to  Recall Estelle

Bud Rogers is awesome. Unfortunately he’ll probably never be elected into any position of local government because he actually cares about his community. Love you Bud!

Buzzardsnest
Guest
Buzzardsnest
6 years ago
Reply to  Recall Estelle

Me too

Dan Fuller
Guest
Dan Fuller
6 years ago
Reply to  Recall Estelle

So did I for all the good it did!!! I thought Cliff Clendenen was doing a fairly decent job of it during his term but evidently I was in the minority on that one too!!!

tired of all this
Guest
tired of all this
6 years ago
Reply to  Recall Estelle

Me too🙄

Landslide victory
Guest
Landslide victory
6 years ago
Reply to  Recall Estelle

Then you would Be part of the 22%, And the other 78% re-elected Estelle. 👌👌👌👌

Spicy clam
Guest
Spicy clam
6 years ago

Love you K & E! We know you do your very best and appreciate your hard work in and throughout our community!
its amazing that some people just can’t see what you’ve done for us!❤️

Ed Voice
Guest
Ed Voice
6 years ago
Reply to  Spicy clam

It would be even more “amazing”, Spicy clam, if in a few words you could name all of E’s accomplishments for the 2nd district? And since she was elected, how many times per month was she in her Garberville office able to meet and talk with the public?

Truthy
Guest
6 years ago
Reply to  Spicy clam

It’s amazing when people with eyesight are blind. My neighborhood is so much more fucked up than it was five years ago. Thanks Estelle . And thanks Estelle for destroying the Planning Department with your pro industrialist cronies. And, most especially, thank you for splaining to us how hard you work, on NOTHING BUT WEED PERMITS!

Ed Voice
Guest
Ed Voice
6 years ago
Reply to  Truthy

She also spent hundreds of hours and unaccountable county resources time & money with the Southern Humboldt Community Park (SHCP); conducting, advising and leading private meetings with the Planning Department Director/Staff, DHHS/DEH, Public Works, County Counsel, SHCP Board/Staff and private consultants. This was over a 3 to 4 year period, with NONE of these meeting in public!

I know this because I filed and paid for a Public Records Act request for all of her email communication she had between the SHCP, County agencies and Herself, it filled 2 cd’s. It was amazing how many emails, private meetings and communications she had between different members of the SHCP Board/Staff and County agencies, telling these public agencies how they were going to get “r” done for the SHCP Board. All the wheeling and dealing that took place behind closed doors, phone calls and email, it was eye opening and jaw dropping!

And all of this for one private corporation and private property owner that has no accountability to the public and exempt from property tax. If she did this for the SHCP Board, how many other private projects did she promote, include in her private agenda and cost the Humboldt County taxpayer?

There is an old principle corporations live by; “internalize profits and externalize the cost”. It seems Supervisor Fennell governs by these same principles…

ED Denson
Guest
ED Denson
6 years ago

Interesting article. I imagine that Estelle is doing her best to represent the county on the State level, and to see that we get an improved ordinance. She does have some blind spots, probably caused by her being a Supervisor and not a grower. Roads are a biggie. The issue with roads has nothing to do with unpermitted mega grows. There are road issues connected with the driving that seems to accompany the mega grows, but that’s not the ordinance issue. The ordinance issue is that the county is trying to charge the growers to bring thousands of miles of private roads up to “class 4 standards” (ie. 20′ wide) and for several reasons that is neither fair nor practical. First of all, the growers did not build nor permit the building of these roads. If the county had acted decades ago instead of being in the pocket of the timber industory, we’ve have decent roads in SoHum. But they didn’t, and now that it seems desirable to bring the roads up to modern safety standards, the county has no interest in assuming responsibility for the situation it caused. They are happy to tax the growers, but not to provide the basic services of roads and law enforcement. But the growers are in a financial pinch this year. Big crop, low prices, and the black market is able to undercut them on price. Why is there still a booming black market? Because the county was neither able to make getting a license attractive enough to get a high enough percentage of growers into the system, which would allow them to crack down on the rest, nor able to bring law enforcement to bear on making black market growing unattractive. Estelle didn’t like it when I said that a cost benefit analysis favors the black market as a cultivation strategy, but it is certainly still true. Instead of hassling the 25% if the people who were getting permits, they should have been worried about the 75% who were not. So, if the new ordinance requires existing growers to fix the county’s private road problem, it will be a massive failure.

Truthy
Guest
6 years ago
Reply to  ED Denson

The issue with roads has EVERYTHING to do with mega grows! See much? Drive much?
The only reason my road is a piece of shit, is because of the marijuana industrialists past me. These jerks won’t even pay a road bill, and Asstelle says enforcement is our problem. The paved county road in Eburg is still one lane, with no signage, 9 months later. There are just 3or 4 supes running this whole county, straight off a cliff. Their greed, and state of oblivion is appalling. If they all were snatched by aliens, no one would give a shit.

ED Denson
Guest
ED Denson
6 years ago
Reply to  Truthy

Dear Truthy, your road’s condition is not what the roads issue is about. I’m sure you are right about the impact of megagrowers on the roads. The issue in the new ordinance is not potholes, or dust, traffic, or bad driving. The issue is that the basic construction of the roads is not up to the Class 4 standard, and in the case of a wildfire or other emergency the inability of the responders to get in at the same time the residents are getting out could make those roads death traps.

This is a real issue. Who is going to pay for upgrading the roads, if they are to be upgraded. I feel that the county bears responsibility for allowing the roads to be built, and the land they access to be subdivided without fixing them. So the county should upgrade the roads. The county wants the legal growers to pay for the upgrades. The cost will be in the 10s of millions I estimate. Growers are already supporting the economy, bringing their land up to environmental standards, and paying a special tax on their gardens. The market is going down and they are tapped out. The mega growers will not be paying the taxes, and are not being asked to pay for the roads by the county. This is not fair, and its not practical.

Truthy
Guest
6 years ago
Reply to  ED Denson

Didn’t mention potholes, dust, traffic or bad driving, did I?? Nice try at deflecting.
The roads are already death traps in wildfire situations. It is a non issue, because there is not enough money in the whole damn state to bring them up to par.
The real issue is the deteriorating condition of the road, caused by the influx of marijuana industrialists, their development, with heavy equipment hauling. The
green light to the racketeers is causing the deterioration and destruction of local roads, public and private.
Let the fucking industrialists pay for the road repairs! They’re the ones who’ve ruined them. So sick of people enabling the entitled, six figure snowflakes!
Like Granny used to say, “If it looks like bullcrap, and it smells like bullcrap, it probably is.”

Ernestine
Guest
Ernestine
6 years ago
Reply to  Truthy

Woa there cowboy. Stop talking to the most informed person in the room that way! It’s okay to discuss the details, but keep a respectful tongue in your mouth while you do it.
He’s not deflecting, he’s doing what attorneys do, he’s pulling the fine hairs up to the.microscope so we can parse the details.

Truthy
Guest
6 years ago
Reply to  Ernestine

They’re not respectable, so I have no respect for them. Thanks for deflecting, though. Free speech still exists [edit]

Dave Kirby
Guest
Dave Kirby
6 years ago
Reply to  ED Denson

I agree Ed. The road problem started when the county approved the major subdivisions of existing ranches many decades ago. This was before developers were asked to upgrade the infrastructure as a condition of approval of density increases. The county has since tried a number of approaches to remedy this most of which have been unworkable. I can tell you that the most destructive vehicle when it comes to roads is the log truck. The weight and and configuration of the trailer is especially damaging. This was explained to me by the “road boss” of County Public Works back in my planning commission days. I can tell you that under current zoning ordinances and Cal Fire Safe regs many of these old subdivisions would not fly.

Feel the burn
Guest
Feel the burn
6 years ago

Maybe you want to bring back some of that money to the mateel you embezzeled! Estelle!
Its not forgotten

Templeton
Guest
Templeton
6 years ago
Reply to  Feel the burn

Dear Estelle,
Exactly how many “abatement” letters have you sent out? As for your untimely assault, I call you a slacker. If you care about illegal activity, and the black market why did you wait until harvest? We need answers. Legal farms have paid you millions… Only to watch illegal ones thrive. Taxation without representation. Take your pick, it’s either lawsuit or take your toilet paper permit and wipe!

Buzzardsnest
Guest
Buzzardsnest
6 years ago
Reply to  Feel the burn

Funny “feel the burn”. I saw I bumper sticker on a yuppy wagon and had to comment…it said Burny can’t be bought by billionaires. I said, that’s pretty ironic sticker there because that’s exactly what happened (Clinton foundation). He didn’t look to pleased!! Lol

Dan Fuller
Guest
Dan Fuller
6 years ago
Reply to  Buzzardsnest

*too…

Sigh
Guest
Sigh
6 years ago

She’s not getting my vote again. Especially since she sold out & screwed the mom & pops! FU Fennell! I spit before the ground you walk on!

Taurus Ballzhoff
Guest
Taurus Ballzhoff
6 years ago
Reply to  Sigh

Dear “mom and pops”, hope you can find another way to “just get by”… Humboldt pot will be over, and soon… Thanks to Estelle and the rest of the idiots on the board of supervisors, the state of CA and the idiot growers who planted pot until it HAD to be legalized…

Humboldt is late to the party, and it is full of crooked folks, but POT IS OVER!

Find something new, you will need it. Those who can’t change, will BE changed…

Boudreaux
Guest
Boudreaux
6 years ago
Reply to  Sigh

Gavin Newsome screwed you too, he’s hand in hand with big ag, he came to G’ville and stroked the mom and pop growers saying they’ll be fine. Hey if you voted for legalization you have no one but yourself to blame. Humboldt voters have no backbone, they believe the candidates and then bow down.

Ticket the Texting Drivers
Guest
Ticket the Texting Drivers
6 years ago

Just ticket all the texting drivers…

Taurus Ballzhoff
Guest
Taurus Ballzhoff
6 years ago

Or the 95% of all drivers who are speeding, presumably to get the fuck out of here… Or just all the pickups that have equipment violations…

So him local
Guest
So him local
6 years ago

I have yet to have her return a phone call.
I know a few others that tried as well.
The thing they are not saying here is.
They want to open up more areas for out of town growers to start NEW GROWS
Making more areas other than prime ag for more
NEW GROWS
We have too many as it is.
The road issue is just a smokescreen

Taurus Ballzhoff
Guest
Taurus Ballzhoff
6 years ago

OH, BTW, it is HIGH time to replace Estelle, the most corrupt and incompetent person involved in government of a California county, possibly, in history!

Estelle: BOUGHT AND PAID FOR!

Elect SOMEONE ELSE, for god’s sake, besides this shill for the pot “farmers”…

Estelle must be related to Donald Trump, and she is proof that the Hippies have evolved into “land partners” and Republicans…

john
Guest
john
6 years ago

Humboldt is getting just what it deserves. The last election reported 75% of the people exiting the polls had voted Democrat. So we have liberals electing jokers, and blaming the damage on conservatives.

Sounds like growers are getting the fid up the wazoo.

fid |fɪd|
nounNautical
1 a square wooden or iron bar which takes the weight of a topmast stepped to a lower mast by being passed through holes in both masts.
2 a conical pin or spike used in splicing rope.
ORIGIN early 17th cent.: of unknown origin.

wazoo |wəˈzuː|
nounUS informal
a person’s buttocks or anus.
PHRASES
up (or out) the wazoo in great quantities.
ORIGIN 1960s: of unknown origin.

Growers had a good run. Time to accept it and move on.

Truthy
Guest
6 years ago
Reply to  john

No one is talking about dem/rep crap except you, trumptroll.

Buzzardsnest
Guest
Buzzardsnest
6 years ago
Reply to  Truthy

Ahhhhh I miss bridge CHUMP. I bet he’s planning something. Hmmmmmm?

Patte Rae
Guest
Patte Rae
6 years ago

Interesting how many folks comment without using their name. Super Estelle is doing as best as anyone can with all she is dealing with. Instead of complaining, get out there and be part of the solution. Join boards, volunteer. There is much to do to make our community stronger and better.

Ed Voice
Guest
Ed Voice
6 years ago
Reply to  Patte Rae

Patte Rae, Supervisor Fennell’s record speaks for itself, action speak louder than words. Please list her accomplishments? What do you think democracy is made of; sitting on your hands and keeping your thoughts to yourself? If you want to defend a publicly elected official, defend their record! In this case, can you?

She knew what she was getting into and what public life would bring. Speaking up and giving an opinion is “part of the solution”. Its called constructive criticism! We are not complaining, we are just stating the facts…

Dave Kirby
Guest
Dave Kirby
6 years ago
Reply to  Ed Voice

It’s none of your business Ed, you don’t live here. Who’s your supervisor?

Ed Voice
Guest
Ed Voice
6 years ago
Reply to  Dave Kirby

You are correct Dave, “It’s none of your business”. My family lived and owned our property/house in Redway and Garberville from 1961 to 2015, before and after Supervisor Fennell was elected for the 2nd District, Is there a problem officer?

I’m about protecting the South Fork Eel River and the community of wildlife habitat that lives in its watershed! If anyone is going to approve projects that could adversely affect the South Fork Eel, I will be asking questions and making public comments, including any current or future 2nd district supervisor!

Its funny Dave, whenever I make my points or make my argument you cannot dispute, you always use the “you don’t live here” fallacy. Iike it means something…

Ed Voice
Guest
Ed Voice
6 years ago
Reply to  Dave Kirby

Let me also remind you Dave and something you should already know, since you were a “Humboldt County Planning Commissioner”, appointed by then Supervisor Roy Heider (RIP); that the South Fork Eel is not owned by Humboldt County, nor can it be used by Humboldt County without approval from a half a dozen state and federal public agencies, because the South Fork Eel is a state and federal listed Wild & Scenic River with a number of endangered and threatened aquatic species, i.e, coho, chinook and steelhead. All navigable waterways in California are regulated by the people of California, not just the County or local government they flow through. Try and remember that, the next time you say:

“It’s none of your business Ed, you don’t live here”

And when did I ever say I currently live there?

BTW, we don’t have elected county officials that would even think do doing something like that here, the public keeps them transparent and accountable, so far, so good. Unlike a black market underground economy like Humboldt County; that thinks it can justify dewatering all the creeks, rivers and streams for their own greater good that only profit private landowners, just like the timber and instream gravel extraction companies did and still do?

tired of all this
Guest
tired of all this
6 years ago
Reply to  Ed Voice

Thanks Mr. Voice.
You speak my mind, and I do live here. Until I can afford to leave.

Truthy
Guest
6 years ago
Reply to  Dave Kirby

Who are you to tell anyone it’s none of their business. You forgot to mention you were her campaign manager.

Mariahgirl
Guest
Mariahgirl
6 years ago

All of the Stupervisors need to be replaced! There are too many grows now an they want to issue more permits. All they see is $$$! You need to take care of all of the illegal grows especially the ones in residential areas that are not zoned for big grows and stop the big commercial trucks pulling trailers from making deliveries on the roads that are barely wide enough for a car and were not meant to be used for commercial hauling. Add to your cannibis regulations that everyone with permits and their employees need to register their vehicles in California just like the rest of us. Quit catering to the pot growers!

tired of all this
Guest
tired of all this
6 years ago

PUBLIC DEFENDER…..MUST GO

Dan Fuller
Guest
Dan Fuller
6 years ago

The Pubic Depender??? Immediately, or better still SOONER!!!

Two Creeks
Guest
Two Creeks
6 years ago

Humboldt cannabis policy; putting the EX excise tax.

20k up front? What commodity is taxed BEFORE it’s produced? That is the primary flaw

Perspective
Guest
Perspective
6 years ago

This whole legal cannabis situation is a complete shit show. The county has its hands in everybodies pockets as they stumble and fall. There is going to be a lot of property owners calling to have their taxes lowered after the crash. I’m starting to see people walking away from their newly purchased properties. Ask someone selling their property how that’s working out for them.

LabeledaNazi
Guest
LabeledaNazi
6 years ago
Reply to  Perspective

Humboldt green ghetto

Life is Good
Guest
Life is Good
6 years ago

Ha! She hoodwinked the SoHum crowd so they would think she was on their side then after the election went to bed with the Fortuna valley crowd. She needed a job and got one. My question is did C.H.U.M.P vote for her?

Ed Voice
Guest
Ed Voice
6 years ago

Here you go Dave Kirby, taken just for you yesterday, what Supervisor Fennell calls protecting “Natural Resources”, so the Community Park Board can make “Royalties” and Randall Sand $ Gravel can make “Profits”. What goes around come around Dave. This was the same operation you approved, when you were on the Planning Commission, remember that? And here’s the biggest kick of all, the assessor’s office only taxes them as “unimproved property”, go figure! It’s the reason we sold the house and moved out of dodge in 2015:

Savage
Guest
Savage
6 years ago
Reply to  Ed Voice

They are digging around in the damn river and they are telling us up the creek from there not to cross it, lets not forget barnum that has illegals daming off the creek for major grows, but they call that land private. How do you think the salmonoid species feel about that silt they knock loose rendering their fish eggs useless. But hey its all good, well just blame,the guys up on the hill for that. Its all a big joke of a money grab. Tax the little guy and hit him hard. Make sure he cant afford all your regulations. We will see the aftermath of this when a grower snaps, dont think it won’t!
I’ll be right here to say i told you so!

Ed Voice
Guest
Ed Voice
6 years ago
Reply to  Savage

You are very correct Savage and since the Southern Humboldt Community Park leases to Randall Sand & Gravel for its privatization of the watershed and essential fish habitat, Barnum Timber Company is the newest sponsors of the Southern Humboldt Community Park, with Supervisor Fennell supporting all of their efforts…

yesmeagain
Guest
yesmeagain
6 years ago

“….it pushed the new grows into areas that were mapped already for prime agricultural soil. If you look at a map of prime agricultural, it doesn’t look like there’s much there. There’s 2,948 acres of prime ag in Humboldt County.”

Holy moly, is this ever wrong. There’s something like 40K acres of prime ag soil in Humboldt County. Not that anyone cares.

Truthy
Guest
6 years ago
Reply to  yesmeagain

It can’t be right. That’s less than 5 square miles of land. Humboldt County is 3600 sq miles. So, according to her, less than .2% of Humboldt is prime ag. Not possible.

Savage
Guest
Savage
6 years ago

Good move from Barnums theyll never get fucked with, go into the building and planning department, they got half of a room full with barnum crap, those good ol boys will drop a few boxed of paperwork on their desk and keep em busy for a year or so, but illegal grows on barnum are still illegal

Ed Voice
Guest
Ed Voice
6 years ago
Reply to  Savage

Here’s the other good one; Randall Sand & Gravel is sueing Humboldt County and Barnum Timber Company, the County is not giving any information, but now it appears the County is considering a settlement hearing. Wonder what that is all about (Randall Sand and Gravel v. County of Humboldt; Barnum Timber Company, et al., Real Party in Interest, Case No. CV170395).

Savage
Guest
Savage
6 years ago

The county keeping things hush hush,..
Scumbags! I cant wait till shtf and these scoundrels get hung!
I guarantee its a county fuck up and we are paying on barnums behalf as well with our tax money.
On top of that theyll pay kathy off if she agrees to shut her yapper . then these dirty scoundrels will fabricate a story that makes them,look a bit better,…scum!

Dragonfly
Guest
6 years ago

For those of us who care and have been responsive in the past to ill decision’s, Estelle has singled them out. She and her vicious partner initiated a slander campaign. Empowered others to commit hate crimes against long time activists and community members. Directed & supported violence. Estelle basically has supported Terrorism. When she was with KMUD her behavior was manipulative then. Estelle was not born here and her actions & values reflect it!