In Spite of the Pandemic Causing Food Insecurity, Humboldt County Residents Fear Using Even Small Greenhouses to Grow Vegetables Because of Cannabis Abatement Program
This is Part 4 in a series on Humboldt County Planning and Building Department’s Abatement Program by Nichole Norris–Part 1 is an example of a someone who received an abatement notice has not been resolved, and Part 2 is an example of an abatement notice that has been resolved.” Part 3 delved into the data around the abatement process.
Please note: the writer, Nichole Norris, has been actively involved in organizing to change Humboldt’s County’s cannabis policy and had to remove a greenhouse in which she grew vegetables on the property she lives on for fear of abatement issues.
A Southern Humboldt greenhouse (roughly 15 x 30) used to grow vegetables and cannabis that was removed after abatement. [Photo by Nichole Norris]
Just last winter, a number of people growing vegetables, including, in one case, nuns at the Briceland Monastery, received abatement warning letters.
One local Southern Humboldt resident said that before she received a warning letter she used to put up a 12 x 20 hoop greenhouse and was growing nine “small-medium plants” along with vegetables in grow bags, but now, she said,
In 2020, I’m scared to even grow my 6 cannabis plants as well as veggies, because I’m on the river. The fines from possible building code violations on my almost 100 year old house has created insecurities that are outrageous. My partner is in their 80s with health concerns. I am in my 70s and their sole caretaker. We need the cannabis, but we would go under financially if they go after code violations with their gigantic fines.
Some property owners have concluded that having a greenhouse, even just for food cultivation was too much of a liability considering the numerous reports of satellite mistakes or “false positives” of cannabis cultivation where none was growing, the threats of fines of around $10,000 daily, and potential property liens of up to $900,000.
Covid-19 adds another layer of pressure for people across Humboldt County that not only strive to be self-sufficient and ecologically-considerate, but also for those who want to minimize the risk of spreading and/or contracting the virus by reducing their trips to grocery stores for fresh produce which is an import factor in health.
As a result of the pandemic, unemployment in Humboldt County also rose by 986% since April of last year. When unemployment increases, the number of people who are experiencing economic hardships and food insecurities does as well. As a result, growing food has become an important element to survival now more than ever before, particularly for those who are most at risk of the virus such as elders, those with compromised immune systems, those working on the front lines, and low-income communities who may not have healthcare, or the money to buy fresh organic produce.
Growing Food Year-Round and Greenhouse Permits
In most regions of Humboldt County, a greenhouse of some kind is required to extend the cultivation season to year-around instead of six months per year (or less). Having a greenhouse not only allows one to provide more fresh food, but also broadens the potential crops and the duration of the harvest season. Without a greenhouse, the range of crops that will survive the cold evenings and seasons on the North Coast is severely diminished.
![Interior of this reporter’s greenhouse in spring. It was removed for fear of abatement issues. [Crop of a photo by Nichole Norris]](https://kymkemp.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Greenhouse-.jpg)
Interior of this reporter’s greenhouse in spring. It was removed for fear of abatement issues. [Crop of a photo by Nichole Norris]
Getting a permit or an Ag Exemption isn’t easy. The application for an Ag Exemption comes with a $150 fee and requires-
- A Building Application Form
- Four plot plans
- Two floor plans for each structure showing electrical layout and plumbing fixtures
- Ag Letter of Intent for each structure
The Humboldt County website explains the Ag exempt permit,
Agricultural buildings are defined by Section 202-A of the Uniform Building Code as “a structure designed and constructed to house farm implements, hay, grain, poultry, livestock or other horticultural products… They must be located on lands zoned Agriculture Exclusive, Agriculture General, or Timberland Production, or on lands shown by the General Plan as Agricultural and zoned Unclassified or on any other land zoned to permit agricultural uses as a principal use. The Chief Building Official shall issue an exemption upon confirming that the subject parcel is so zoned, and that all setbacks or other requirements will be observed.
What happens if you live on property zoned as residential? You cannot have a greenhouse of any size without a standard building permit.
Gustin Dumler, a Plan Checker in the Building Division of the Planning Dept explains, “The 120 sq. ft. permit exemption currently applies to structures used for storage only,” not growing vegetables. You need a standard building permit to do that.
In an email, Dumler elaborated on the County Codes and requirements for having a greenhouse for food cultivation. He wrote,
A greenhouse can be permitted in a Residential Zone, and has been, but, instead of an Ag Exemption to a permit (where no building code requirements apply), in a Residential zone it must meet the 2019 CA Residential Code (CRC). This means all the seismic requirements for CA, as well as the Fire requirements per Chapter R337…APN’s in SRA areas must meet the requirements of R337–Wildland Urban Interface (WUI). LRA does not have to meet R337…
Typical [greenhouse] plastic does not meet minimum Class B or C roofing. Membrane fabric must be certified by CA State fire Marshall and an engineer will have to stamp and sign the plans (foundation and structural) if they do not conform to the prescriptive code in the 2019 CRC (ie. including but not limited to, seismic anchoring, sheer walls, foundation, roofing).
There are some exceptions that can apply. Like being in a SRA [State responsibility Area] or LRA [Local Responsibility Area] fire area (“minimum class C roofing” required), Class B or C requirements for roofing, 50 feet separation from other applicable buildings. Each project is different. I cannot give much more than this without having a submitted application with all the pertinent information (ie. including but not limited to, APN, plot plan).”
For more detailed information on your specific zoning requirements and prospective costs, call the Humboldt County Planning Department’s Permit Specialist at (707-445-7245)
Small unpermitted Southern Humboldt greenhouse. [Photo provided by owner]
Bonnie Blackberry, Co-founder of the Civil Liberties Monitoring Project (CLMP) explained to Director Ford on her April 8, CLMP KMUD radio show [See kmud.org/archives for the full CLMP show 7pm, Minute Marker 25], “We’re in a total pandemic crisis and recession, how much is it going to cost for somebody to be able to…grow their own food in a small greenhouse, a 20 x 30.”
Ford answered,
[When] growing vegetables for your own use, the use of the property is primarily residential. The struggle is when people come in and want to get an ag exempt greenhouse that is fairly large and there is no agricultural use for the property…I think if somebody is going to have their own private garden, a 20 x 30 [sq. ft.] greenhouse then that’s something we can work with…The Ag Exempt permit for a 600 sq. ft. greenhouse is $150.
Blackberry added,
That $150 could turn into a few thousand dollars by the time you get the soil report, the engineer’s report, the erosion control report, the building inspector comes out a couple times, then you get your plot plan, your site plan, your floor plan, that’s going to be pretty darn expensive.”
Ford says, “I have a garden myself, I’m completely in agreement with people’s right to grow their own food and encourage people to do that.”
Blackberry responds, “Can you say now to the listeners that if they have a 20x 30 greenhouse for their personal use to grow food they’re not going to need to get permits or get abatements.”
Ford responded, “As long as there is nothing else going on on the property.”
The first caller on Blackberry’s show noted, “Look, at this point in time right now a lot of us are growing food, some people are going to grow pot too, but it seems so stressful for us to have to be concerned about this right now.”
Ford suggested to the caller and community,
I know it is not comfortable to come in and talk to the County. I get it, we’re the government…One of the things I ask people to do is that if you have an existing greenhouse and you are cultivating food in it and you have been for a while, make contact with us. Let us know that and then we can mark down that you’ve made contact with us (Minute Marker 37).
Blackberry interjected to make the point that, “I don’t think very many people are going to contact you and tell you to put a little mark down for them.”
Blackberry’s comment alludes to the ongoing distrust between the Humboldt County cannabis farming community and Humboldt County Code Enforcement. Property owners are hesitant to reach out to the Planning Department based on their past experiences. The solution for growing food without having to deal with a costly abatement notice is to call and potentially make oneself a target for code enforcement.
This reporter reached out to the Planning Department’s Director John Ford for comment on the current direction for the cannabis abatement program and to see if they were still pursuing the abatement warning letters. We did not receive a response.
The fear of the abatement program’s “false positives” and their enforcement against vegetable and medical cannabis cultivation, continues to hang over the heads of Humboldt County residents.
Additionally, Ford did assure Blackberry that he would have a full report on the abatement program “before the end of summer.”
He explained, “My plan was to do it as a part of the next budget cycle.” He said he wanted to take the idea to the Board of Supervisors to ask “for an opportunity to do it as a part of the budget.”
Blackberry replied, “Yeah, a separate report, especially when you actually need to cover three years…having no report is a big problem for transparency and accountability.”
Ford said, “I do want to honor that. We do need to be transparent and accountable… We’ll do it before the end of summer.”
Blackberry added, “I think you told me something very similar last year. I hope this will come together. I think it’s really important.”
Abatement Warning Letters and Responses
Humboldt County greenhouse in the snow. [Crop of a photo of her own greenhouse that was removed for fear of abatement by Nichole Norris]
Ford said these warning letters were meant to take the place of abatements and they were “the courtesy noticed the community asked for.”
The concept of the warning letter was initially brought up by an anonymous speaker during a Civil Liberties Monitoring Project town hall meeting August 23, 2018 who claimed to have turned in her cultivation permit application a day late, then received one of the first abatement notices and paid a compliance agreement penalty. The speaker suggested to Director Ford and Supervisor Fennell,
Why not send a letter to everyone saying that you need to permit or quit growing marijuana and if you don’t do that we’re going to send you an abatement letter…that will make it so that the County can come through this like we’re all working together, rather than [the County] working against us. [Listen to the full speech by the speaker around minute marker 14]
But, it appears that these warning letters did not go to the same types of people suspected of growing large amounts who would have normally received an abatement notice but rather to people suspected of much smaller violations.
Veggie starts this spring in a small unpermitted greenhouse. [Photo provided by owner]
According to the County’s response to the information request, only 113 of the property owners who received abatement warning letters responded to the County.
Sixteen of the responses said that they were cultivating food, not cannabis. Twenty-seven property owners stated they had 215’s and medical cannabis gardens, with some recipients who admitted to having anywhere from six to 45 cannabis plants.
Screenshot of one of the abatement warning letter recipients discovered in a Freedom of Information request. Most of the letter recipients had similar sized vegetable/cannabis gardens.
Twenty cited mistakes made by the Planning Department such as buildings being falsely identified as greenhouses, and inaccurate property lines. At least one property owner reported having a greenhouse that was “smaller than 120 sq. ft., [and had] plastic on [the] roof [of his house] to prevent leaks” that was misidentified as a greenhouse.
Another stated, “Blueberries with netting [were] misidentified as [a] possible hoop-house.”
There were at least seven warning letter recipients who claimed to have attempted to get a cannabis cultivation permit and failed. Seven others said they wanted to obtain a cultivation permit, including one person who “lost everything to a fire” and had hoped to use the money gained from the crop in question, to obtain a cultivation permit.
Nine tenants were informed by their landlords to cease cultivating (for medical purposes or otherwise) and to remove greenhouses.
At least one property owner was “upset” that they were being asked to permit such a small structure and refused to comply.
[Click here to read the Official Planning Dept. notes made detailing the correspondence with the Warning Letter recipients.]
The No Permit 600 sq. ft. Greenhouse Initiative
One longtime-local gardener, Paul Modic, has been organizing an initiative to overcome hurdles for small farmers to have a 600 sq. ft greenhouse (or less) to provide themselves with food and medicines.
Modic’s effort all began with a Facebook post asking District Two which Supervisor candidate they were going to vote for in November and he explained,
There was discussion about the legal cannabis industry and the ensuing complicated, expensive, and ever-changing regulations put in place by the county. Also discussed was the abatement program, the harassment of vegetable growers by the Planning Department, 215 rights, and the possible creation of an alternative business model for small commercial cannabis farmers of 1500 to 2000 square feet.
Modic was then “inspired” to draft an initiative and submitted it to the Elections Office on May 11, 2020 which would have allowed “[a]ny adult, twenty-one years or older,[to] cultivate up to six cannabis (marijuana) plants of unlimited size for personal use on any size parcel of unincorporated land in Humboldt County… .”
County Counsel called it the “Humboldt County Measure for Removing Regulations on Personal Cultivation of Marijuanna and Greenhouses Under 600 square feet,” but on May 26, the County Counsel’s Deputy Director stated that “The proposed initiative measure conflicts with state law.”
Paul Modic sought out the legal expertise of local human rights advocate and criminal defense Attorney Eugene Denson* who gave him revisions to appease the County’s objections. Denson believes that the County could overcome any obstacle with state law by declaring all greenhouses under 601 sq. ft. as agriculturally exempt structures, and by redefining greenhouses as shade cloth structures.
However, the initiative was officially withdrawn by Denson and Modic in late June. Attorney Eugene Denson explained, “We had passed the date that it would be realistic to qualify Paul’s initiative.”
Denson added though,
…[T]here is still time to get the best language together and submit it to the Board of Supervisors so they could voluntarily amend County ordinances to be more useful to the residents. At the same time it could be submitted to the non-incumbent candidates for the Board, such as Michelle Bushnell, to see if any of them would endorse the ideas and make campaign issues out of them, that is so they can clarify for the voters where they stand on the issue of constituents having the right to cultivate food and medicines. And to answer the question on a lot of backyard gardener’s minds– should a complex permit process and/or the lack of money be a barrier for people trying to grow food year-around during a pandemic?
We reached out to both candidates for Humboldt County’s Second District Supervisor position–Michelle Bushnell and incumbent, Estelle Fennell–to ask them if they supported or had concerns about allowing residents to avoid the permit process for greenhouses under 600 sq. feet.
Bushnell said,
I would support and do support this. I personally believe that guidelines need to be in place for small Mom and Pop “ back to the lander” type people. Additionally, in our rural area of larger homesteads I know many, many people that have large Veggie gardens. People have a right to throw up a non permanent stature to grow food for their families.
What I really believe is that policies need to stop being moving targets. They need to stop changing. To be abated for your greenhouse that provides food for your family is not right. It’s stressful, upsetting and causes so much anger towards the county. In today’s world that is so divided, this is the last thing that we need in our small region.
District Two Supervisor Estelle Fennell was also supportive. Fennell stated,
I’m not just endorsing this, I am working to make it happen…which will also save our community time and resources on a costly ballot measure….
When I was made aware of Paul Modic’s proposed ballot measure, I brought it up for discussion at a Cannabis Ad Hoc Committee meeting between myself, Supervisor Madrone and Director Ford. We all felt that we could put together those concepts for adoption as County policy. I subsequently contacted Paul and let him know that I felt we had a good chance of getting it through without having to wait until November. I would still like to see that happen as soon as possible, and that is what I have been working on…The COVID Pandemic has, unfortunately delayed some of the process but I have been urging the department to move forward and just today (6/29/20) got confirmation from Director Ford that it would come up for review in July.
As for small commercial growers, we are also very close to bringing forward a small farmer category for commercial cannabis that would be simple and as easy as possible to permit, given State law. That should also be ready for review in July. The basic concept our committee has put together would be 2,000 sq. ft. of cultivation; within the existing curtilage; Operator lives on the parcel; no employees; outdoor cultivation; no road assessment required (since road is already used by homeowner); no Water Board requirement since it is below the threshold for Water Board cannabis regulation and other provisions to make it easier and inexpensive to get a permit. [See full response by clicking here]
The Board of Supervisors will be discussing the County’s abatement program in this Tuesday’s meeting which begins at 9 a.m. One positive outcome of Covid-19 is that you can now participate in your local government remotely via phone, zoom, or email, here’s how [the agenda is available in pdf form at this link]:
You may access the live stream of the meeting by using the following link: https://humboldt.legistar.com
Email Public Comment:
To submit public comment to the Board please email [email protected], provide your name and the agenda item number(s) on which you wish to comment. All public comment submitted after the agenda has been published will be included with the administrative record after the fact.
Zoom Public Comment:
When the Board of Supervisors announce the agenda item that you wish to comment on, call the conference line and turn off your TV or live stream. Please call 669 900-9128, enter Meeting ID 947 6380 9158 and press star (*) 9 on your phone, this will raise your hand. You’ll continue to hear the Board meeting on the call.
When it is time for public comment on the item you wish to speak on, the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors staff will unmute your phone. You’ll hear a prompt that will indicate your phone is unmuted. Staff will then ask you to state your name and begin your comment. You will have 3 minutes to comment.
*Full Disclosure: This reporter worked at the Law Offices of Eugene Denson.
Join the discussion! For rules visit: https://kymkemp.com/commenting-rules
Comments system how-to: https://wpdiscuz.com/community/postid/10599/
You all voted for the dope, reap what you sow!!!!
Nobody voted for this. This is not how the legalization bill was sold, nor would a reasonable person looking at the info have concluded that they might be at risk of being at the receiving end of state sponsored extortion for putting up a non cannabis related greenhouse. Don’t kid yourself.
I disagree. As always with legalese, the information was needlessly difficult to understand, but it was there. Many people saw this coming. Warnings were sounded.
So you read all of the Apple terms and conditions then?
I read enough to know better than to vote for prop 64, but I knew better before I read the first word. When G. Newsom showed up to “help” our local farmers my advice was BOHICA.
Nobody voted for this shit! Our county leadership and planning dept. are crooked dipshits. They’re the ones people unwittingly voted for and need to be voted out or recalled.
I agree no one voted for this. Many voted against it because they knew all of this was coming. But no one who voted for legalization, voted for it to turn out this way.
To I like stars, Re: “warnings that were sounded”
According to a recent study by UC Berkley on Humboldt county legalization policies and compliance barriers, the lack of outreach, and the changing, inconsistent and unclear regulations were some of the main causes for folks who did not come into compliance. Those who recieved less outreach were less likely to get a permit.
The primary barrier to compliance was the cost. Notably, the folks who did not come into compliance were small farms who “produced less than 100 lbs in 2018.” These are the same people who also derived over 50% of their income from their modest gardens and now do not have that income now.
http://lecture.ucanr.edu/Mediasite/Play/510c30c1bc844a9c8af1ce47c65b0df01d
The court has actually decided that the SUPERVISORS illegally changed what we voted for. So there☺
?? Doggo please cite your source of this court decision
Not true… Chas… Not even close.
We’re trying to reap what we sow. WTF are you talking about? Nobody voted to have every greenhouse subject to obnoxious assumptions of guilt and draconian letters of doom from local authorities. Bit of an over-reach, like taxing a farm crop before it’s even harvested and sold. Ridiculous.
I got a headache while reading this article. Building codes and permits, abatements, exemptions, tests, etc. I got a way around this. Build a trailer 20-30 ft long x 102 inches wide max and a wood deck. Go register it at dmv. Now build a box frame and door without siding on the trailer. Cover with plastic or plexiglass. Park in a driveway and use it as your greenhouse. It is NOT a permanent structure. It is NOT affixed to the ground. It has a hitch, lights, and registration. Nuff said!
Exactly what I was going to say you all destroyed the weed industry and unleashed even more wolves than before and now you can’t even grow food. Did you ever think of moving out of California I did best move I ever made. Enjoy what you created.
LOSS OF GROWS IS LOSS OF COUNTY GDP. HUMBOLDT COUNTY INFRASTRUCTURE DIES BACK. PROPERTY VALUES PLUMET. COUNTY TAX DRIVEN COFFERS SINK TO BROKE.
GOOD JOB COUNTY OF HUMBOLDT YOU HAVE LEARNED HOW TO GO BROKE…
Bye bye Bob. Some of us choose not to run away. This is our home. If everyone just moved away from their “problems“ every time you disagree with a political policy, well… damn I would’ve moved a thousand times already. Suck it up buttercup. I love it here no matter how goofy it is.
Sup Shakti… Respec…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dSFK9lkedwg&list=PLQJGTgKSnIm1t_fwqFEaqFZHEYuAYB8EF&index=41
Are you wondering why
No one talks any more
And all you hear
Is the cry for war
Are you wondering if
There are people who
Hurt inside the same as you
There are grey-faced men always telling me
Things ain’t like they used to be
You kids have got no self respect
Wake up old man to your neglectbr it’s dog eat dog
It’s hand to mouth
It’s east and west
It’s north and south
Just like you drummed it into me
Things ain’t like they used to be
I’ll tell you why I can’t afford
To hang my hopes upon your word
And when I’m done, I’ll join the queue
And take my chance, no thanks to you
It’s in or out
It’s stop and go
It isn’t what
It’s who you know
I’ve heard you, now can you hear me
Things ain’t like they used to be
Ancient rules for ancient men
But this is now and that was then
Don’t lay your heavy hand on me
And sink me in your poison sea
It’s us and them
It’s me and you
It’s guessing games
It’s what to do
Exactly like you said to me
Things ain’t like they used to be
(chorus)
Are you wondering why
No one talks any more
And all you hear
Is the cry for war
Are you wondering if
There are people who
Hurt inside the same as you
Enforcement mentality is why pretty soon making coffee will be a manufacturing process and require us to get permits but not for those friends and families of the BOS. When the fuck is Alderpoint road gonna get fixed cause every legal cannabis farm is out of compliance along it. Not a standard road and obstructs fire with half the road gone Estelle, got your culvert though for your pretty little drive.
The county waits for a disaster to make repairs. That way they can claim disaster damage and get more money. Meanwhile they will waste money doing favors for special people like making repairs on private roads. This is how our tax dollars work for us.
Land of the free Bbbblllaaaa hhhhaaaa hhhhhhaaaaa. Let’s keep voting for the same representation there doing a great job FOR THE PEOPLE.
We’ve lost our county, state,and country
I’m sorry to tell you but were all slaves now
Ignorance is bliss I guess. You couldn’t see this coming? Us old farts talked about it in the 70’s maybe you should have listened.
Please read The United States and The California Constitutions so you understand your rights. Codes do not over ride the Constitution. Understand takings and bills of attainder and government trespass. No paid public servant has the right to trespass or fine you for doing anything Constitutional. “The Rule of Law” is “The Law of the Land”! Use it, “do not abuse it”.
Check out NARLO, they have great info and the best property signs. If everyone would read their State Constitution it would not be long before “Our Rights” would be restored.
Hello Margaret: Couldn’t have said it better.
I was told by a neighbor, who was told by his lawyer, that if the hoop house did not have an impermeable floor it was exempt from needing a building permit. The hoop houses are typically seasonal, and with veggies in there the plastic can come off around June and be put back on in the Fall. If the seasonal hoop house doesn’t have a peaked roof any snow will collapse it in the winter, so they don’t work well as winter cover. If you are just growing veggies in your seasonal hoop house, and get an abatement letter, you just need to take a photo of the inside with something showing the date and send it to the planning dept, do not just pay the fees and fines listed because they are not set in stone. You could even invite them out to come have a look, I don’t think they are really targeting all of the old cabins and houses for not being up to code at this point.
The planning department is making me get ag exempt permits for my 2 hoop houses that are only up for 9 weeks out of the year. No floor, I grow in the ground. 28 PVC pipes, 56 pieces of rebar, 2 tarps, some boards and some screws.
You’re neighbors lawyer is wrong.
// “if the hoop house did not have an impermeable floor it was exempt from needing a building permit”//
Do not trust your greenhouse to this lawyer — let alone your freedom.
Lurch I must clarify-
You say, “I don’t think they are really targeting all of the old cabins and houses for not being up to code at this point.”
See the image of the unpermitted cabin featured in Part 3 (at the bottom) called “construction without permits.” Humboldt County originally charged 10k daily for the unpermitted home (and greenhouses), then knocked it down to $18,500.
This is not a hypothetical, the County is including unpermitted homes in their abatements already.
Also its not as easy as it sounds for many people to resolve abatements and its really stressful either way. Its not uncommon to get different answers when you call and ask these questions. The people I spoke with for this article didnt speak about the floors. Ill look into that though. Ive heard otherwise from other lawyers. The fact that it’s so unclear speaks volumes to the issue I think.
I was told by an attorney years ago it’s a greenhouse they have to have a warrant. We watched them fly around for a few days hauling out weed all around us and then the landed on my property. They didn’t have a warrant put us on notice and never charged any of us. So much for cops following the law.
Amazing story, although it does run on and on…
When folks complain about attempts to control weed growing and code enforcement, they almost always say they WERE actually growing weed! Six plants, is six plants, and almost nobody who grows pot in Humboldt, actually is growing “just for personal needs”…
If you really need to grow food in a greenhouse, and you are over 65, remember that the marijanistas have ruined the entire environment of Humboldt for ordinary people!
That is why I left!
Also, there is an important codicil to the outlaw code: Be careful not to break more than one law at a time!
If you live in a structure that does not comply with building codes, you probably shouldn’t grow weed…
If you want to live off the grid, it should be possible! I suggest that elders who want to do exactly as they please and “screw the government”, should band together with legal aid and pro bono legal operations, before looking like a regular “hoop-house”, and, when you build, build permitted…
Interesting story, but what were you expecting?
The government in Humboldt should be concerned with enforcing “the spirit of compliance” but it should not be for destroying the lives and livelihood of the citizens! I suggest replacing your terrible Supervisors and leaders ASAP, and in the meanwhile, lawyer up and fight to the limit of your resources.
Make enforcement expensive for Humboldt County! It’s your only recourse.
I guess I am almost nobody then. I have 12 plants for two adults, alongside our veggies. So do MANY of my friends.
(Cough) Excelsior! Enjoy!
Yes. Many people stop at 6. The nail that gets whacked first is usually the one that sticks out the most.
With some of the grading violations I’ve read about evan for logging done in the 50’s,culvert replacements and the 17 different bureaucracys that each need there useless 15,000 dollar extortion report I see why people are scared to grow veggies. The county will render you homeless and bankrupt for trying to eat and stay alive!! NICE PEOPLE WE PAY TO REPRESENT US EH !!!!!!
A friend of a friend told another friend it was okay as long as you have less then 99 tomato plants you’re greenhouse is okey. Big farma is trying to prevent the back yard plot so you half to by there genetically modified crops that cause early puberty in our girls.
Just what we need, a tomato greenrush. Please, keep it to yourself..
Who the hell came up with 600 sf?? This is bullshit! Growing something other than cannabis should NOT have a sf limitation. 600 sf is not enough to grow for a family to eat out of and preserve. No sf limitations for food and flowers! Don’t shoot yourself in the foot
There is no square foot limitation if you get properly permitted
Then what’s the bullshit proposal? An easy route to get an ag exempt permit?
Completely scared to permit my greenhouses because of the other unpermitted structures
You are not alone in your fear. That’s why folks are encouraging our representatives to consider something more appropriate for our county given the history of code enforcement (etc.), such as amnesty on all unpermitted structures built before today. No fear, no risk or permit required. It would be treated like grading done before 1998, or original farm houses which are grandfathered in. Everyone I talk to wants to be in compliance, they just dont want to risk everything they own to get there.
I’m thankful that there are people working on this situation. In my opinion, the county is just as guilty as we are. They were aware of our homes and structures and gladly held their hands out to grab property tax dollars as our land gained value. Now the property prices have crashed if you don’t have a cannabis permit. Seems wrong to profit of our hard work, then circle back around and fine us and threaten us with losing everything we have worked for.
Thank you, I appreciate you perspective and I agree.
When Biden wins he will “legalize” and reschedule the weed. His Big Pharma buddies will take over and you will see every one of these local regulations getting heavily enforced. Anything that can grow weed and cut into their profit margin will be shut down. Also…John Ford is a liar.
Biden? The first American president in office with full blown dementia? Reagan definitely lost it, but that was at the end of his term and after he left office.
Trump is the first in modern history.
I don’t know what else you would call his behavior.
What specifically would you cite to back up your claim? Specifics, not one liners or platitudes.
Just watch a “speech ” of his. Slurring mispronounced words. Can’t stand up straight, about to topple over. Weird snuffing and can barely read. Can’t negotiate a ramp without his hand held. Can’t stay on subject, rambles, can’t answer questions. Insufferably intolerant of questions that challenge him.
You know all of this or your powers of observation aren’t working. Don’t come at me with Biden or Hillary whataboutisms, I question their capabilities although Hillary seems to still have a somewhat functioning brain.
Trump, he’s losing it.
Why don’t you prove to us that he ISN’T losing it, mmmmmkay?
Trump doesn’t seem insane to you? If the 25th Amendment doesn’t apply to Bunker Baby, then it might as well be repealed.
It was via the republican party that big pharma was able to lobby for its biggest victory in US history, the stopping of universal healthcare.
AND the biggest rip off tax break for the wealthy.
Righties love love love to vote against their own interests. Gutting Social Security and Medicare is their next wet dream and Righties keep voting for these politicians that would screw over their own parents and their own future. Go figure.
The Left Is Just As Bad…You Can’t Possibly Ignore The Complicity In career Politicians.
well…Not so simple as one party being Big Pharma friends. I’m no lover of Trump and was DEM for decades. You need to look at senators and congresspeople indivually to see Big Pharma lobbying. Many DEMs are very much in their pocket. Two of the biggest being Hilary Clinton and Biden. Sleepy Joe is from Delaware or as some call it “the state of DuPont”. Here is one link of many….https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-features/joe-biden-weed-war-drugs-candidate-2020-827319/
Politicians make many decisions throughout their life, all on record, through changing times and social changes. It’s always tough to make everyone happy, esp some hippies in the backwoods of California. So, you don’t vote for someone who necessarily shares all your values, but someone who is going to take us in a better direction than the other guy. Don’t let the perfect be the enemy of the good
If either candidate made it over the bar into “good” territory that would be a lot easier.
Biden is a corporate stooge. His earliest famous “liberal” speeches were cribbed from a British MP who could actually think for himself. Biden’s staff initially wanted to study the 08 bailout and make sure it didn’t just support the bankers and screw the rest of us. Then Obama– the bailout senate floor manager, “promised” that it would help the little folks and hold the bankers accountable (it did neither) and Biden fell into line. Biden has been consistent in his corporatist commitments with big government libereralism to “sweeten the deal.”
Trump is just f’ing assinine, but he really has attempted to “take our economy back,” from the Chinese and the globalists especially. Of course, what he’s taken back he’s given even more of it to the very wealthy. And he’s done so by throwing vicious destructive tantrums in every part of the public conversation. I can’t stomach any more of this.
But I’m not faced with a choice between the perfect and the good. I’m faced with another false choice. Sometimes when you give people false choices they’ll just nut up and choose the shit sandwich because they have already had to eat shit.
Yes, and Big Pharma gets full retail price on medicine subsidized by the government on socialist Medi-Care. That was under Bush Light and Republicans. No discount on massive bulk purchases like in Economics 101. Like with the VA. oh, sorry, that was Dems.
Wow they are harassing veggie growers but are set to permit a grow scene with 45 greenhouses using over a million gals of water with 3 huge buildings including a 2 story right above Garberville. The only way to get to this site is thru Benbow, the Meadows (Wallan Rd) which is only one lane with broken black top or Buck Mt Rd. They have a hearing planned for July 23. Many home owners have received letters of notification of this. More later………..
Estelle doesn’t drive the road so it will never get fixed. Money has the ability for the approvers to turn a blinds eye of road requirements in the permitting process.
Is this the giant grow that you can see on the right side of the hwy going north from benbow to garberville?
That’s the area………there is something going on. This property has been camped on in the past. It’s 600 acres that was part of Tooby Ranch.
I have quoted this RIGHT more than a few times here on RHBB: All people are by nature FREE and INDEPENDENT and have INALIENABLE RIGHTS. Among these are enjoying LIFE and LIBERTY, acquiring, possessing, and protecting PROPERTY, and pursuing and OBTAINING SAFETY, HAPPINESS, and PRIVACY. Here are a few questions for the Supes, Mr. Ford etc. What part of Article 1, section 1 of the California constitution don’t you understand? These words seem to be very clear in their meaning! We elect our public servants to serve us, not to rule over us. Is this not true Supes, Mr Ford etc? Do our public servants have power of attorney over our/my property? Do I/yourself have any contract with the county that says they have more control over my property than I have? It seems we now live in a permission society where we have to BEG our public servants to do just about anything and everything in our lives. This is called prior restraint, which in almost all court cases that have ruled, is illegal! I have checked out any court cases about what HAPPINESS (I love this word) means and they (the court) can not rule or define such. They have alluded to HAPPINESS as that which is what each person thinks what makes their own life happy; which I agree! Not what some public servant might think what makes me happy. Our public servants do these ordinances to control what they should not control if we are truly FREE and INDEPENDENT with LIBERTY, and for extorting money from us “WE THE PEOPLE” so they can stay in their own power structure! Paying a Supe $90,000 a year with benefits so they/them can control us; I say NO, NO, NO. I want to build a real nice permanent greenhouse to grow vegy’s in the winter, and to plant tree seeds in. ( I love trees) they bring in the birds, wood for the stove, shade and cooling abilities in our warming skies. Why can’t (WE THE PEOPLE) bring our own rules to the table this November that eliminates all these I have to get permission from our public servants to grow my/our own food? If our public servants can’t change their ways un-elect them all!
Poor Farmer for Supervisor!
Hello Rover: Those are encouraging words so You will hear it first; The Poor Farmer is now running for the second district under the write in box. I know I won’t win BUT maybe we can educate our elected public servants how some of us Humboldt people think and believe. 1. What I would do if elected: You have every right to use your own water without paying for the permission. 2. You have every right to build a greenhouse to grow anything you want. 3. Abatements are maxed out at$ 1,000 once (as they use to be) and to eliminate the daily fines as excessive as per U.S. constitution and the California constitution and per 9-0 ruling by the supreme court. 4. I would and will OBEY the OATH of office that I am required to say and agree too without reservation. 5. Reduce the supervisors salary to half of what it is today; and take away their for life pensions! 6. Take off the yellow fringe on the American flag as it is a different jurisdiction, except in the court room or the supes chambers. U.S code 4.1 or 2. 7. We didn’t always have the building department until around 1949. There where some mighty fine buildings that went up before that time. 8 I believe that the Code of Enforcement didn’t come into being until sometime in the mid 80’s; We can do without this anti American department, and the people that run this department! 9. I would do the best of my ability to establish a Grand Jury to go through every Ordinance in Humboldt County and find out if any goes against the California or U.S. constitutions. 10. I would not lie, take a bribe or vote by holding my finger in the wind to find out which way it was blowing; I would always vote according to the highest LAW of the land; the constitution. We all know Estelle record (which is anti American and anti Mom and Pop). Michelle is somewhat of an unknown. I would have an E-mail account and I would answer your questions through the California constitution then the U.S. constitution! I probably have more if I was elected, this just comes off the top of my head/thoughts!
Some tough hurdles, but sounds great. Get Kym to do an interview so people understand your platform. Even if you don’t win, generating enough buzz in ideas can push the other candidates platforms in the correct direction.
Hello Rover: I’ve come up with a few more of what I would try my hardest to accomplish as Poor Farmer. 1. Start a Constitutional court with an American flag as per U.S. Code 4 1 or 2. This way we/us can challenge statues, ordinances and codes without spending a million bucks and years of time to get an answer. Of course the judge must honor his/her OATH. 2. No satallite looking down on anybody in Humboldt County; as per Article 1 Section 1 of the California Constitution. This has nothing to do with Cannabis but OBTAINING PRIVACY, plain and simple. 3. Under Article X2 (10) it states that the State of California is there for us to use our water for our benefit ( to help land owners utilize it to the best and most efficient way possible) This is called a TRUST Law with the State being the manager of said trust, and the “WE THE PEOPLE” being the beneficiary of said trust and the executor (judge) the one who makes it happen. Funny thing is that you can name your own person who you want to be the judge and that way whatever the beneficiary wants he gets! I would do my best to help everyone accomplish this. Yes TRUST LAW is a CONTRACT, one of the highest contract laws there is! Yes, I know I can’t win BUT like you said it just might push the narrative in the right direction. Have you noticed that the candidates don’t ever comment on the RHBB to tell us what they/them believe in. I have.!!!
So, no fire safety codes for buildings?
Sounds like a un-romantic cruise on another Ghost Ship.
No thanks!
Fire codes are state mandated. Local codes wouldn’t supercede them.
If there’s no code enforcement or Building Dept. then there would be no local authority to enforce any codes for building.
Expect Tubbs fires everyear, times 10.
And that’s just one obvious ramification.
Uhhh, no. That’s not what would happen. Contractor’s are still beholden to building standards, and prior to the current WUIB state standards in building we didn’t have, “…Tubbs fires everyear, times 10.” That’s not going to suddenly start now.
I don’t think ‘Poor Farmer’ could execute the whole proposed platform, but it is good to have someone to push back against the continual bureaucratic over reach.
Why do you expect everyone to follow codes, if they don’t already?
Or do you want a new State-based authority to takeover local enforcement?
Tubbs was started by faulty wiring.
Do you think there were less than 10 faulty wiring based fires in CA last year?
Your contention falls flat on both points.
#1:
“After an extensive and thorough investigation, CAL FIRE has determined the Tubbs Fire, which occurred during the October 2017 Fire Siege, was
caused by a private electrical system adjacent to a residential structure. CAL FIRE investigators did not identify any violations of state law, Public Resources Code, related to the cause of this fire. ”
The start of the fire was not from code violations or failed building inspections.
#2: Regardless of the number of electrical fires in the paste year these fire would have occurred under the watchful eye of building inspectors. If inspections and codes always worked you’d have a point.
https://web.archive.org/web/20190927235447/https://www.fire.ca.gov/media/5032/tubbscause1v.pdf
Oh that’s good news, I didn’t know the house was cleared of violations regarding Tubbs.
But nonetheless, the Ghost Ship and probably a good % of reported house fires on RHBB are caused by faulty wiring.
Examples aside, you know that is the case.
Many building codes have improved everyone’s safety, even if they aren’t always fun to follow.
Rules aren’t always followed, but systems of rules are better than chaotic-capitalist -anarchy.
As far as I know the Ghost Ship was started not by bad building wiring, but by tenants stretching extension cords hither an yon without regards to the realities of load, conductivity and resulting heat… this is the same reason there are so many house fires in the area. Indoor growers swap breakers without up-sizing the wiring in a circuit, pushing more current on an undersized conductor induces heat. Get enough and you get a fire. None of this has to do with electric standards, rather it is about stupidity. That’s a tough one to legislate around.
In the last 10 years, unpermitted hashlabs were exploding into flames throughout the Enerald Triangle.
How many permitted hashlabs have exploded?
Unfortunately stupidity is rampant and we are all victim to and of it.
Standards and regulations helps the society as s whole.
Hello TRB: How did we ever survive life and property before the Building codes and code enforcement came into effect.
Many didn’t.
And many still don’t.
Tubbs was declared as starting due to bad hot tub wiring at a residence.
That’s why standards are beneficial for all.
The Ghost Ship disaster is another recent example.
Earthquake standards have saved untold quadrillions of dollars.
Rememer 1906?
Sure TRB. Your comparing Apples to Horseshit.. Ghost Ship was A multi story warehouse converted to Living quarters. Not a green house that houses plants. And is not even remotely a living space.. Big difference. I have never heard of a hoop killing anyone.
Let’s not forget to mention that one of the reason California has such large shortages on housing is because of its extremely excessive and unaffordable codes to begin with.. when the Codes, permits and inspections cost more than the building materials and the labor to build proper facilities.. there is a problem with bureaucratic overkill!
Fire danger in the wild lands is always a concern.. But, Redway Garberville, with all its “uncoded sins” guess what.. still standing! Thanks to some of the greatest fire departments, and dedicated Firefighters!
And let’s face it TRB.. these policies have little to do with “public safety” and are more bent on political and economic harassment… it’s a complete abuse of power.
Poor Farmer for Supervisor!
Hello 1911 I trust. Thank you very much. I started this/ these comments out of frustration after seeing our supes take their OATH of office and throw it in the trash. WTF. That is not the country I want to see!!
Amen to that, I enjoy listening to people who place the Constitution in high regard. The actual law of the land, the one that protects us from them(being the gov’t).
If you plan to run as a write-in, please email me at [email protected], Id love to hear more about your platform Poor Farmer.
Asking permission …
You Know Where You Stand.
Stop voting for far left politicians. They dont believe in the constitution, only in taxes and rules.As to the supervisors Im certain they haven’t even read the constitution with the possible exception of Madrone who is the only one smart enough to understand it. The problem though is quite simple. There are way too many growers and most are renegades. Punishment is not severe enough for the bad ones.
I love you Poor Farmer
Hello Flat Girl: There is a tender kiss waiting for you if we ever meet!
Maybe even a deep sniff of her shampoo choice. ..?
We don’t have all this crap in Trinity county, no satellite to spy on us. But over here in Trinity, we have a more conservative govt., they realise the importance of families and their food. Our building inspector is pro ag. You people there in Humboldt need to redirect your energy, stop protesting against whatever it is you are, and protest in front of Ford’s house, and protest in front of court house with anti Ford posters. They will change. Get in their face. Also, where is the satellite antennae? You guys want to pull down statues and monuments, yet you won’t do something to stop those who are hurting you, causing you hunger and anxiety. Statues don’t cause hunger, John Ford and his satellite crew are.
Satellite antenna, funny. Sorry to snicker but that is not how it works.
🕯🌳You don’t realize the satellite been spying on you guys ever since you got GPS. Its run by the same satellite that’s spying on you.🖖🇺🇸
That’s not how GPS works. The GPS satellite array is geostationary and produce a signal that is picked up by a receiver that can triangulation its position based on the the array. The receiver doesn’t transmit data.
Yeah that is interesting. I discovered in Trinity County their daily proposed fine for unpermitted cannabis cultivation is $100 (no satellites/on the ground citations only). Butte county charges $500/day. Humboldt County $10k/day, sometimes (with multiple violations) those initial proposed fines can start at over 100k daily.
[edit]
Got my abatement letter and decided to pack all the greenhouses with tomatoes. Got go pros everywhere and waiting for the weed patrol to come and rough me up and will livestream it.
Fat retirement check coming from,the same taxpayers that voted for this shit.
We are planning a Green Leaves Matter protest to be held in Garberville perhaps as early as next week. Please come and stand up for freedom and let freedom ring the hell out of the Communist Supervisors that want to stick there sticky fingers into our lives, our freedom, our homes, greenhouses and medicine cabinets.
Thank You, Bill and Janet Rogers ~ Fort Rogers Cancer Support Group
I would love to cover this. Please keep me in the loop @ [email protected].
Humboldt county the land of whipped slaves!!!!! Its time to protect our freedom here In the bizarre, corrupt,NEPOTISTIC county of Humboldt . These public servants who have become theiving dictators in their minds need to be reminded of what country they are in,and that it has a bill of rights and a constitution to protect its citizens!!!! Screw you Ford and supes your carma is coming
A green house is great for a lemon tree but that’s the only thing that needs one in this country. We’ve always had a big beautiful garden and never needed a a green house.
It’s called microclimates. Not everywhere in the county has the same growing conditions, hell, it changes just on my property alone. If I want a successful melon harvest, I need a greenhouse. If I want to attempt okra, I need a greenhouse. If I want to get seedlings started, I need a greenhouse. If I want I winter garden, I need a greenhouse. The county can piss off with this heavy handed bullshit! Make growing food and flowers easy and stop working against us. It’s just fucking food for God sake!
Lol, i get 45 mph winds at my property during the month of June , if i didn’t have a greenhouse i couldn’t grow dirt.
I’m assuming you live on the coast “North West”? As you well know there are many different micro climates in Humboldt County and they can’t all be grouped together.
I live in willow creek. God’s country. Blue lake is better than hear
There are microclimates in the area that vary greatly from snow still at the end of May to never sunny in the summer fogged in areas. And, of course, many people like to do a winter veggie garden with peas started in February and letting tomatoes ripen into December.
Without a greenhouse this year I had a very long delay to start, less variety, and less to harvest. Id guess I saw an over 50% loss in production and variety. I understand several crops grow without a greenhouse but there are more which dont grow effectively without one. Yeah, being inland you have an entirely different micro-climate.
I am only now getting squash in mid July in Sohum, mainly because I try to work from seed and my starts died from the cold nights. Some nights I just didnt have time to run my numerous start trays inside or put them in my car, its so time consuming and I ran out of space.
Last year I recall having squash in late spring/early summer, my berries were producing more as well and for much longer. I had cabbage, kale, lettuce, bok choy, garlic, onion, broccoli, chard and so much more year-around with a greenhouse, even through the winter and a snow storm in February.
Thanks, North west. People lived for a few thousand years here without greenhouses. Now, even with all the advantages of seeds, crops adapted to cooler microclimates, instant information on the internet, fertilizers, plumbing, etc., moderns claim they can’t grow food without a monstrous plastic pile of crap, a visual blight and a recycling near-impossibility.
This is only an environmental and aesthetic observation. I’m not saying anything about the legality of it or the right of gov’t to dictate. But i am sad that in a place we once may have thought of as “environmentally conscious,” or with people of a mindset of “back-to-the-land,” or “in honor of Native or pioneer lifestyles,” people today cannot find a way to grow food–in a land positively lush with greenery (or not; but where it’s not, that’s not because of a lack of warmth– the cool coastal spots have the most dense green growth)– without encasing it in disgusting plastic.
I’ll keep munching my parsley, miner’s lettuce, chickweed, purslane, etc. And enjoying crops that have kept even Western peoples healthy for centuries, all before the advent of plastic greenhouses.
Earth First, people… what became of that?
Thank you.
We all know what the 600 sq ft greenhouse will lead to. This is Humboldt.
And yes, how did anyone ever survive without a greenhouse..?????
The population was less than 10k when there was no food being trucked in.
People lived for eons without the wheel too you know. What is your objection to progress?
1)Plastic trash on the landscape (dust devils periodically drop me plastic trash from my neighbors and I have found more than a couple clear plastic grow covers in streams) . 2)The incubation of soil pathogens. 3) Toxic smoke when burned by wildfire. 4)Ugliness (unless you are a hillbilly with plastic runners and chair covers like many of my now dead relatives, may they rest in peace in their plastic paradise).
The inundation of plastic trash, generally shredded each winter by windstorms and replaced, is not progress. Learning to understand and work with local weather patterns, soil types, etc., to optimize growing– with the safe assumption that the earth WILL provide what’s needed, if not necessarily what’s craved, when treated with sensitivity– that would be progress.
Cool story! I happen to like a ripe tomato over some miners lettuce. Try living off the land at elevation. I hope you are in a teepee off grid typing your comments on parchment or stone. Otherwise you are a hippie-crit.
If you need plastic to grow anything where you are located, you should not grow it there, or move to a place where you can grow it with out the use of plastic.
If you need a phone or computer to communicate, you need to move somewhere else where those items are not required
To Laura Cooskey- This concept has always perplexed me, maybe because Ive understood my generation to be tasked to clean up these messes of those prior. Reusing materials that we have already, to help one be more sustainable and self-sufficient seems a great way to clean up those messes.
Putting plastic in the landfill does nothing to help the environment as far as I can tell. Out of sight and mind mentality also does nothing to resolve the root issues around plastic use in our culture either. While I agree plastic is not ideal, farmers didnt create plastic or allow the subsidies that have encouraged consumers to use it, subsidies that have made it more affordable than other natural materials. Plastic is cheap, its here already, so lets put it to good use is what I say. Recycle reduce REUSE.
There is absolutely no need to buy new plastic – REUSE. Its easy too, ask your friends who received an abatement and need to get rid of their plastic or sit at the dump and wait for one to come in.
In regards to Earth First, the issue of growing ones own food directly relates to putting the earth first. Many experts (like Vandana Shiva) say growing ones own food and saving seed is one of the best things you can do to help the environment and curb our global woes, including inequality.
Think of the reduced oil consumption getting the food to your plate and think about how much more considerate it is for the exploited workers (including children) around the world who pick these foods for people who do not grow their own.
If you grow your own food your plastic use will be significantly reduced because your not using plastic food packaging.
If we are really talking about being environmentally conscious and sustainable then the best thing I can think of is killing people. We are WAY over the sustainable population level and we need to de-escalate our numbers quickly. If we really really care we should be endorsing negative population incentives. Honestly- saving seeds and using less plastic is cute. But if you really want to “save the planet” then put your actions into your words and vote for politicians who will kill more people. Maybe get together with some like-minded friends and devise a plan to take out some heavy-consumption earth-killers. If you really care so much….do the right thing!
Experts like Jane Goodall disagree with this argument –
https://scroll.in/article/952350/stop-blaming-population-growth-for-climate-change-the-real-culprit-is-wealth-inequality?fbclid=IwAR2J8WQFc0xz8PCcozYjprwDAASuMNugLiXts24bTWNvYTaTT_MLQjfkXow
But you bring up an important philosophical difference in people today. We all know things must change, some blame the human species for our global woes, others understand its systemic and can be remedied. We need conscious humans to do that. Some mothers and fathers have been summoned to manifest a new tomorrow in this way, but yeah its not for everyone.
I’ve always been very bothered by the overpopulation arguements.
Thanks for that link.
And your living in a modern house with electricity, internet and plumbing? I bet you drive a car as well.
I am lucky to live on solar in a ecologically groovy house that consumes next to no energy, but I’m no better than anyone because of this luck. Sure I have the internet. It is 2020 and I work constantly from home on environmental justice and human rights issues, on lawsuits against injustice (Measure S) and radio shows, and Im a mom. I can accomplish a lot next to my free-range chickens in my backyard.
Show me how to legally have a compost toilet in Humboldt County, please. Ive looked into it and found its not possible.
I actually grew up riding horses and would prefer to ride one now if I needed to travel. Too bad we dont have a safe bike/horse and alternative transit trails through the redwoods, Id be all set ha ha. I thought about trading in my tires for stirrups so many times but its suicide, completely inhumane for a horse to walk on these roads.
Id prefer not to base my life on traveling to a job or store but instead cultivate for my own needs from home with my family while supporting my community. I think that’s the underlying issue here.
Until I have access to something truly sustainable I try to recycle older cars whenever the DMV lets me. Its what we have to work with, you know? I, like you, certainly didn’t design or support any of it. I’ve gone from living entirely off grid, never using cars, or banks, rebelling against all this inhumanity and imbalance to realizing I can be more effective if I use (some) of the tools we have in a more conscious way and use that energy to speak out about changing this for the good of all.
One never follows all of the regulations, whether one wakes up in the morning thinking one would like to or not. If you can safely (socially and physically) compost your manure, do so because it’s right. If not, look for something else to do better.
There’s plenty of good information about composting your poo, and given the fact that every other animal basically shits wherever it wants, we don’t subsist on nuts and berries, so we have to learn how to deal with poo, other than concentrating it at sewage treatment plants before it gets pushed to the ocean.
The hypocrisy of government mandates for environmental impact does little more than increase the revenue for paper pushers at the county hub.
I totally appreciluv that people thrived in the region before modren technology took its grip on culture. But seriously, if the county would stop harassing people to the brink of starvation, they could invest in longer lasting more sustainable plastics… I have been using old debt plastic.. the heavier stuff recycled.. for years now..
Maybe if people didn’t have to worry so much about the county slashing their GHouses to shreds.. they could invest in longer lasting material… Better UV stabilized material.
I think it’s very tempting for people to get a BUNCH of root pots and throw them in the woods! How does that solve anything?
On another note. Modren food production produces a ton of useless obsolete plastic every day.
And.. just think of the plastic laden garbage the new “legalization” policies are ushering in! LOTS.. I have seen legal scenes FULL of roots bags and cheap plastic. Not to mention the plastic that’s required for packaging, and the disposable metric tags that can’t be reused..Legal isn’t going to stop the plastic problem in the hills when you still have people who don’t really give two hoots about the long term..
Hey Small Fry,
Thanks for speaking so clearly to the issues raised by the article and especially the county’s actions.
It’s corporate vs the independent mom and pop.
They are making decisions about your life everyday and this covid is confusing our natural system once again.
Thanks b. Appreciluved! YW! In my eyes the county and state have taken these policies the point of udder absurdity and corruption. Thanks for reading!
P.W. It is Indy vs Corporate mentality. It’s more than that though, it’s a flat out assault on Independent living.. and lifestyle. As far as Covid.. IDK.. I think that Covid unfortunately is part of the natural systems, It’s we who are confused by its ruthlessness.
The higher quality plastic isn’t replaced every year. Sollex has a 10 warranty and it lasted for 18. I know of no one that replaces their plastic every year. Polyethylene lasts 15-20 years and has lasted as long as 35. As someone else mentioned, there is no plastic packaging with these vegetables. It’s common knowledge that greenhouses help gardeners tremendously for starting your garden early. Even if you purchase your starts elsewhere they were started in a greenhouse somewhere. I prefer to start my own. Yes I could get by without it but I guarantee I wouldn’t have the outstanding garden I do today.
We have a 24′ x 36′ outdoor garden and grow only vegetables, we avoid the winter growing difficulties by preserving our food, canning, and freezing. Most veggies can be processed to a liquid, squash, zucchini, etc. And frozen or canned for soup base. Tasty! Lettuce soup is delicious. It is more work, but our experiences with the results are very good.
1.There were several outdoor veggie gardens that are much smaller than yours which got abatements and waning letters. So far you have been lucky, though the abatement program is ongoing.
2. Canning is great for sure. Though the energy of canned food is different and not ideal some health philosophies (like the 5k year old ayurveda). According to Ayurveda, fresh produce is a critical element to good health, the food is more intelligent, there is less ama when one “cook[s] and eat[s] fresh food. Leftovers are considered less sattvic than fresh foods, and when convenient to do so are best avoided.”
(see-https://www.mapi.com/ayurvedic-knowledge/ayurvedic-diet/nine-ayurvedic-secrets-to-a-healthy-diet.html)
I’d be more worried about people breaking in looking for weed to steal.
We call those people MET, nowadays, and they’ll take your money.
@Paul Modic
Please stop with the 600sf limitation. I can easily burn through half that with just tomatoes. Please reconsider a square foot cap on a food greenhouse.
This is a start, but I have to agree with you in the end. I understand that people just want some sort of concession from our county gov’t that says they won’t hassle you over a 600sqft greenhouse, but I think that is where the language should stop. 600sqft of greenhouse for anything you want. Leave language that limits the size of veggie gardens out of it. All of us have witnessed the malevolent nature of our county gov’t first hand and the willingness of said gov’t to twist our supposed wants and wishes into the very shackles that restrain us from doing anything with our land. I am afraid that our gov’t and supes could twist this whole idea into something that limits our entire veggie garden size to 600sqft no matter if its in a greenhouse or not. Sort of a, ya’ll wanted 600sqft to do what you want with? Well you can have it, but thats all you get, better not be planting any 800sqft veggie gardens now. This is a real fear of mine and I think we should all be careful not to end up pigeon holed by the county once again. Maybe I am overly paranoid, but our Supes and county gov’t have proven to be disingenuous at best and purely evil at the worst.
Yet we sit here and complain instead of sitting outside their homes and demanding they back off this train wreck
Well considered! I wasnt a big fan of the 600 honestly, though for a greenhouse per residence (permitted or not), eh its manageable with an outdoor garden, not ideal for real farmers thought I understand. Would 1k sq ft resolve this issue you think? Or shall we suggest to just scrap it because food growing shouldnt be limited? Ill make the suggestion to Estelle on my next Monday Morning Magazine Show on Kmud (kmud.org) July 13th 7-9am . These policies should work for everyone.
I guess I’m a bit confused as to what’s being asked of the county. Is the thought that there should up to a certain size greenhouse that doesn’t need to be permitted? The language makes it seem like they want to include cannabis, “medicine”. We get 6 plants, so that’s not even an issue. This is what I’m saying, if you have an existing greenhouse structure that is NOT growing more than the 6, then we should not need to get a permit. We should be free of worry about any type of abatement or warning letter. Since when did it become we are guilty and then need to prove our innocence? Why put a square foot limitation on it? Why 600? The abatement issue isn’t because of our safety, it’s to punish us fro cultivating cannabis without a permit. If cannabis wasn’t involved, I’m pretty sure zero abatement letters would be sent. So for me, who has greenhouses that are NOT growing cannabis, I should feel safe doing so. The county is creating an uncomfortable environment, all because of legal cannabis. We had more freedom when it was illegal. I could pack 6,000 SF of greenhouse with food and have zero worries. What changed?? One last thought….. I know how to permit a greenhouse. It really isn’t that big of a deal and is somewhat affordable. This is the problem, as soon as I file for a permit and show unpermitted structures on my site map, then I just opened a can of worms and the county will abate me for my home. We need to feel safe when dealing with the county, not scared they are going to ruin our lives. In the end, they are just as guilty as us. They literally charge us tax on unpermitted structures, which means they are aware of them. This has been the norm for decades. Now they want to punish us? They’ve been our “partner” for years in all of this, even down to the cannabis issue. They never complained or fought back when property taxes started ramping up. No, they had their hands out, gladly accepting it, damn well knowing it is tied to cannabis. It’s real simple, if someone is growing more than the 6 per parcel, abate away. If not, then leave us alone. We are NOT breaking any laws by stuffing greenhouses with food.
You make some good points, particularly around punishment. I‘ve been thinking a lot about this abatement program and the negative impact it’s having in general, but on small, peaceful homesteaders. Yesterday I was interviewing an older “back to the lander” couple for a book I’m writing and I was invited out to their home. I cannot even adequately describe what they have built in the last 40+ years. From the flushing outhouse with beautiful tile, the gorgeous handcrafted home with artistic touches everywhere, to the hand built greenhouse with hand scraped wood, and hinges for ventilation, to the spiritual sweat lodge. This was a magnificent homestead that this couple put the majority of their lives into, and it had so much love and creativity in it, and every nook and cranny held a story about their life. None of it is permitted, and yet nobody who is drawn to a place like that is going to care if it’s been stamped and engineered because it has so much more to offer in terms of a sacred space. And yet here I am, amidst all this wonder, and I keep wondering what they will do if they get abated. They never cared about money, they just wanted to live close to the earth. How is it fair to impose ever changing ordinances on anyone. But especially our aging elders? The vulnerable ones tend to get hit the hardest, and that is when our rigid “rules and regulations” do more harm then good.
Yes, there shouldn’t be any limit on greenhouse space for veggies. 600 sq ft seemed like a reasonable request. (I know someone who has 200 square feet and lives off it comfortably.) Maybe we should “ask for the world,” but then again, in a couple years if nothing has changed you and others might wish we had the 600.
The politicians Wrote code to allow the biggest growers and environmental violators in our county to expand operations . I will never ever forget the RRR (relocate, remove ,remediation) program. These RRR allowance permits include a 300% sq ft expansion allowance if operation was moved to more suitable land.The Biggest violators got rewarded!!! Ohhh and you can sell the RRR permit .So obviously other rich growers bought and stacked these RRR permits. how much did RRR permits sell for ? hundreds of thousands of dollars a pop. Meanwhile mom n pop get a smack down for a veggie garden . In a nutshell people that were good stewards of the land got no handout .only the biggest and stupidest growers got rewarded.
Money talks. Obviously that’s all that matters. I’m sure that most all of today’s biggest licensed growers were the biggest outlaws and the only ones that could afford the outrageous fees for this, that, and the other thing. How does one get by with walking in with hundreds of thousands of dollars for these huge licensed farms? I know the IRS will fight an old lady over $5.
The point is for illegal growers to make successful enforcement by satellite imaging a poison pill by hitching greenhouses to a the idea of innocent family “vegetable growers” being harassed. Possibly there will be some limits implemented but the outrage expressed here is mostly of the crocodile tears of the good old wild west illegal grower variety.
Really?
“Crocodile tears of the good old wild west illegal grower variety” …… Cannabis is legal and I shouldn’t have to be put over the barrel by this county in order to grow it and some vegetables in my greenhouse on my family owned farm. It’s and outrage what our supervisors have done to the small grower and I’m going to keep screaming until it changes.
Ha Ha! Thank you (the Tall one and) Guesst. Well said.
ED Denson recently guesstimated that 25-50% of rural Humboldt property is “worthless as a direct result of the abatement program, [he] wouldnt accept it as a gift” bc its too much of a liability to current owners who didnt do anything (ex. logging legacies, grading, ever growing cannabis/food, having a greenhouse, unpermitted homes etc.). The only folks who will find value in these properties he said are those who want to get a permit and anticipate the remediation ad upfront costs, likely folks/corporations with a lot of money bc its expensive.
Someday this issue will touch all lives in humboldt and they will see beyond the generations of propaganda. This is an issue that is about SO much more than cannabis and it always has been. Those on the front lines, know that.
Or it causes the deeper issue that so few are talking about. The big boys aren’t done yet. I know of multiple people who are blowing up the biggest black market dep scenes I’ve seen yet. They eat abatement letters and replant when MET chops them. They know that these properties, as Ed Denson said, are completely worthless, except for growing pot, so thats what they are doing. They don’t care if they have to lose a $100,000 property due to liens to the county after they have grown $2 million worth of pot on it. I have one friend who has actually been buying abated properties in Rancho, 10 acres at a time for $40,000, all properties formerly abated, now he has them blown up with more hoops than ever before. You don’t go to jail anymore and the fines stick with the land. You can grow as much pot as you want, destroy the environment completely, and not worry about a thing as long as you don’t mind handing the land back to the county when you are done. This creates a downward spiral, and when enough people with the cash to do it get on board with this, its going to create a much bigger problem of environmental destruction and devaluing already worthless property. Way to destroy all the little people while allowing the big boys to go even bigger, legal or not.
Yep. And now those worthless north side of the mountain properties are being snatched up for big indoor diesel grows while mom and pop are being crucified.
These agencies don’t care about you. It costs money to pay them so they keep making laws to rob you.
They make more laws because they have to do that to justify there existence. If they are not engaged they have no reason to exist.
They now own your water rights, your land rights, and they will tell you what kind of house you must have to live on your land. They tell you what you can grow, if you can grow, where you can grow and how much space you can use.
And don’t forget the Democrats have promised to RAISE YOUR TAXES! They want to include more of their friends in their pay to play schemes.
Did Huffman and Gavin tell you the truth while they sold you on going legal? Is this what you thought you were agreeing too?
“They now own your water rights, your land rights, and they will tell you what kind of house you must have to live on your land. They tell you what you can grow, if you can grow, where you can grow and how much space you can use.”
So lets put them in control of health care. What could possibly go wrong? And to think, those crazy, tin foil hat right wingers don’t trust government.
Just talked to the Consultant fenell is lying about the 2000 square foot over the counter permit !!! Its a lie to steal the election. Itll never happen no commercial permit is exempt from the road rules,and no commercial permit is exempt from the water board don’t buy any more of the lies
If you are not doing anything illegal you have nothing to fear
. . . so let us strip search you any where any time.
That’s what the British said and it cost them a lucrative N. American colonial empire. If you are doing nothing illegal, let the government search your house every day. No problem if you’re innocent, right? RIGHT!? That ‘s why we have magistrates and warrants. Crack a history book. No wonder the country’s going to hell.
From my observations, it seems it’s growing more and more impossible for one to just (legally) survive . What do you suggest we do about that Jeffersonian?
I received violations for expansion on my permitted cannabis farm for growing a vegetable garden. Luckily I had a random photo of me in the vegetable garden or I’d be paying that fine. The other violation was because they completely measured the greenhouse dimensions wrong. Their aerial imagery is totally inaccurate. I don’t have a problem with them using the satellite imagery to look for illegal activity but I think they need to come out to confirm that activity and if they don’t have the manpower to that- that shouldn’t be our problem.
Yes.
Ullr Rover~
One of the few seemingly bright, right(and I don’t mean “Right”) reasonable cats on this site.
Guesst- WORD!
Jeffersonian~
“illegal”??! That’s rich.
What a great addition to an incredible series of articles on the absolute contradiction between “legalization (with extreme regs)” by the state, region, and county/city and folks born and raised in Humboldt’s “canna-culture”…
The latter is a well documented “counterculture” (read Jentri Anders’ stellar book “Beyond Counterculture” for the local deets), which by it’s very nature is, yes, COUNTER to mainstream norms/values. I await the BOS and Mr Ford’s compromise, which will still likely be heavily bureaucratic and therefore costly in terms of time and $$$. #FreeTheWeed, #AbateTheAbatement
Whatya mean we voted weed legal!!!!
It means you have a right to possess and consume and produce cannabis within parameters of law and courtesy and safety.
If an adult can purchase cannabis products in public businesseses which advertise in the media, then there is an assumption of legality. Also, it exists as a prescriptive medication. As Casey Stengel said, “you can look it up.” Take all the time you need. Take a lot of time.
ALLOWED AGRICULTURAL ACTIVITIES NOT A NUISANCE (“RIGHT TO FARM ORDINANCE”)
43.2.1 Definitions. The following terms shall have the meaning established by this section and as defined in this chapter, Section C: Index of Definitions of Language and Legal Terms. (Former Section INL#316.2-1; Added by Ord. 1662, Sec. 1, 11/27/84; Amended by Ord. 2075, 5/30/95; Amended by Ord. 2138b, Sec. 1, 1/14/97; Amended by Ord. 2214, 6/6/00)
43.2.1.1Agricultural Land.
43.2.1.2Agricultural Operation.
43.2.2 Findings and Policy.
43.2.2.1It is the declared policy of this County to enhance and encourage agricultural operations within the County. It is the intent of this County to provide to its residents notification of this County policy through adoption of this ordinance setting forth persons’ and/or entities’ right to farm. (Former Section INL#316.2-2(A); Added by Ord. 1662, Sec. 1, 11/27/84; Amended by Ord. 2075, 5/30/95; Amended by Ord. 2138b, Sec. 1, 1/14/97)
43.2.2.2Where non-agricultural land uses extend into agricultural areas, or exist side by side, agricultural operations can be the subject of nuisance complaints by which the complainants seek to cease or curtail agricultural operations. Such actions discourage investments in farm improvements and act to the detriment of such adjacent agricultural uses, and the economic viability of the County’s agricultural industry as a whole. (Former Section INL#316.2-2(B); Added by Ord. 1662, Sec. 1, 11/27/84; Amended by Ord. 2075, 5/30/95; Amended by Ord. 2138b, Sec. 1, 1/14/97)
43.2.2.3It is the purpose and intent of this section to reduce the loss to the County of its agricultural resources by limiting the circumstances under which existing and planned agricultural operations may be considered as a nuisance. This ordinance is not to be construed as in any way modifying or abridging State law as set out in the California Civil Code, Health and Safety Code, Fish and Game Code, Food and Agriculture Code, Division 7 of the Water Code, or any other applicable provision of State Law relative to nuisances. Rather, it is intended to be utilized in the interpretation and enforcement of the provisions of this Code and other County regulations. (Former Section INL#316.2-2(C); Added by Ord. 1662, Sec. 1, 11/27/84; Amended by Ord. 2075, 5/30/95; Amended by Ord. 2138b, Sec. 1, 1/14/97)
43.2.2.4An additional purpose of this ordinance is to promote a good neighbor policy between agricultural and non-agricultural property uses by advising purchasers and users of property adjacent to or near agricultural operations of the inherent potential problems associated with such agricultural uses, including but not limited to the noises, odors, dust, chemicals, smoke and hours of operation that may accompany agricultural operations. (Former Section INL#316.2-2(D); Added by Ord. 1662, Sec. 1, 11/27/84; Amended by Ord. 2075, 5/30/95; Amended by Ord. 2138b, Sec. 1, 1/14/97)
43.2.3 Nuisance. No agricultural activity, operations, or facility or appurtenances thereof, conducted or maintained for any agricultural purpose in a manner consistent with proper and accepted customs and standards, as established and followed by similar agricultural operations in the same locality, shall be or become a nuisance, public or private, pursuant to the Humboldt County Code after the same has been in operation for more than three years if the activity was not a nuisance when it began. (Former Section INL#316.2-3; Added by Ord. 1662, Sec. 1, 11/27/84; Amended by Ord. 2075, 5/30/95; Amended by Ord. 2138b, Sec. 1, 1/14/97)
the cannabis ordinance claims to supersede this statute on the grounds that cannabis cultivation is not agriculture, (of course they don’t make any effort to document cannabis cultivation when they send their abatement notices)
This ordinance still protects any other commercial or noncommercial agricultural activity on AG zoned parcels. The requirement of getting a greenhouse permit from the county is not legally binding, it doesn’t appear in the county code, it is just a rule that planning and building invented. Do you think that the ranchers and farmers in Humboldt are getting building permits for small temporary livestock shelters, fences, and similar structures? Of course not. Their activities are protected by this ordinance and so are yours
Building a greenhouse on ag zoned land does not require a permit!!!!! They cannot declare your agricultural activities a nuisance if you are on an AG zoned parcel! Mr. Ford needs to learn the laws and follow them instead of harassing people engaged in legally protected activities
// “Building a greenhouse on ag zoned land does not require a permit!!!!! … Mr. Ford needs to learn the laws…”//
Since you obviously know this law quite well (unlike Mr. Ford), why don’t you do everyone here a favor and post of the code section stating such? (hint: because you can’t).
Greenhouses are ‘structures’ and as such fall under the permit rules of structures unless explicitly excluded.
Ok JB, you asked. Here it is, agricultural and horticultural buildings on AG, AE, or TPZ zoned land (not residential) are explicitly excluded from permit requirements. Right there in the county code. It also doesn’t say a thing about receiving a letter of permission from planning and building. They made that up for their own procedures. Its not in the statute at all.
” PERMITS REQUIRED – EXCEPTIONS. No person, firm or corporation shall erect, construct, enlarge, alter, repair, move, improve, remove, convert or demolish any building or structure in the County or cause the same to be done without first obtaining a separate building permit for each such building or structure from the Building Official EXCEPT FOR THE FOLLOWING: (Ord. 2275, § 1, 05/28/2002)…
… 8. Agricultural buildings, other than milking barns, not intended for the use of the general public, on lands zoned Agriculture Exclusive, Agriculture General, or Timberland Production, or on lands shown by the General Plan as Agricultural and zoned Unclassified or on any other land zoned to permit agricultural uses as a principal use. The Chief Building Inspector shall issue an exemption upon confirming that the subject parcel is so zoned, and that all set-backs or other requirements will be observed.
Agricultural buildings are defined by Section 202-A of the Uniform Building Code as “a structure designed and constructed to house farm implements, hay, grain, poultry, livestock or other horticultural products. This structure shall not be a place of human habitation or a place of employment where agricultural products are processed, treated or packaged; nor shall it be a place used by the public.” (Ord. 2275, § 1, 05/28/2002)
https://humboldt.county.codes/Code/331-11
Evidently you missed this from your own quote:
// “The Chief Building Inspector shall issue an exemption upon confirming that the subject parcel is so zoned, and that all set-backs or other requirements will be observed.”//
That issued finding is what the County calls the “Ag Exempt permit”. … … … and contrary to your assertion, you HAVE to get that permit to build a greenhouse, even on Ag land. It’s what the code says right there in black and white (see Dudeeeeer’s comments below about getting just such a permit).
It’s best to actually read what’s written before posting it and it actually showing that Ford is the one who knows the laws and not you.
You know what it doesnt say? Doesnt say you are required to get permission. It only says that they ‘Shall’ (are required to) give you ag exempt status If you request the determination. It also doesnt say it is contingent on other requirements. Its just exempt
Adam: // ” It only says that they ‘Shall’ (are required to) give you ag exempt status If you request the determination.”//
Nope it is says they ‘shall’ issue ‘upon confirmation’ that the applicant is eligible for the permit (and it’s explicitly stated that eligibility isn’t automatic on Ag land).
Here again is the code:
// “The Chief Building Inspector shall issue an exemption upon confirming that the subject parcel is so zoned, and that all set-backs or other requirements will be observed.”//
The ‘shall issue’ is explicitly contingent.
// ” It also doesnt say it is contingent on other requirements. Its just exempt”//
For you to state that it isn’t contingent on ‘other requirements’ when the exact words ‘other requirements’ are used in the code to describe the contingency is freaking hilarious.
Keep digging though.
Greenhouses are simply not exempt from the need to acquire a permit on Ag land. You’re the one that posted the code — read it.
Contingent on the circumstances, on Ag land you may be eligible for a ‘Ag Exempt Permit” or you may be required to get a standard permit. Either way … permit required.
The building code even has a special section (section 3102: membrane structures) which applies to greenhouses.
There simply is no blanket code stating that greenhouses on agriculture zoned land do not require permits. It’s a myth residing only in your own mind.
Is this wording in the code? I think this is just their interpretation. Even if this is in the code now it doesn’t change the fact that greenhouses are agricultural buildings. Also changes to code in 2018 shouldn’t allow them to take action on to existing structures from before that date. Never mind that existing greenhouses should be exempt from nuisance actions because of the right to farm ordinance.
I brought this up in front of the planning commission when they were drafting the ordinance in 2016 and they specifically added wording saying that cannabis is not covered under the right to farm ordinance but they did not say any such thing about greenhouses and the fact that they had to make a change in 2018 shows that the original code certainly did intend to consider greenhouses as ag structures
The first paragraph is in the code. The second paragraph is the explanation for why it was put in the code.
// “the cannabis ordinance claims to supersede this statute on the grounds that cannabis cultivation is not agriculture”//
Technically, the ordinance does not claim to supersede the statute — the statute simply doesn’t apply because both the County(s) and the State have explicitly excluded cannabis from falling under the agriculture ‘right to farm’ laws.
That what i said, it doesnt really matter since we are talking about food production not cannabis
Well since everyone in Humboldt without the “privilege” of a canna permit is now facing poverty , AND can’t get fresh food ? Guess we can all start murdering one another.
I grabbed a permit for an ag exempt greenhouse from the building dept last year. Overall an easy process cost less than 200$, pretty straight forward. Now if they want to come on to my property they need a warrant as all structures are permitted. The building department is very friendly and helpful
There is the snag, all of your structures are permitted. Some of us have homes that are not permitted and the county will most likely screw me over that.
The Humboldt county assessor taxes everyone for their illegal greenhouse and Humboldt county accepts the money from their assessment of the illegal greenhouse. So if Humboldt county [building department] says the greenhouse is illegal then why is Humboldt county [Assessor] accepting taxes on an illegal structure, greenhouse or home as if it were a legal structure? I hear the Lawyers are licking their chops on this one.
Because legality of a business is a seperate issue from the taxes owed. Lawyers lick their chops over income derived from any litigation. It doesn’t matter to them if their clients are idiots if they get paid per hour.
Please Note to whomever needs to know this: Photos of public officials are fine. Threats to doxx anyone however are absolutely not happening on this website. I consider it a form of violence.
Thank you for that. It would carry more weight if not for at least one comment above still unedited and calling for people to menace J. Ford at his home.
The idea that people who are unhappy with a government worker (or elected official) should go menace that person and their family at home is unbelievable to me.
It is crazy shit like this that makes things like anonymity in a comment section necessary. There are many among us who are either crazy or have forgotten any sense of boundaries for their behavior.
I like stars…
You sound like a level headed person and you sound like a “law abiding citizen” by the comments you make. I have noticed your comments on Nichole’s other abatement articles as well, and you appear to be on the side of the County…and that’s fine. However in this bureaucratic battle between rural homesteaders/farmers and Humboldt County you appear to have blinders on to not only the corruption that exists within the system but the devastating damage it causes in peoples lives. You balk at the anger people have toward Ford, and yet he is the leader of this department that is “causing” so much harm. I understand the anger (I don’t encourage the violence) but when people are backed into a corner and losing their land because they didn’t “keep up on county codes” they have a right to be upset. You were mocking Doe in Nichole’s Part 3 article, when she described her experience as terrorism. Clearly you don’t get what it feels like for people to be in these situations and you don’t appear to care either. You care about government workers and that people were encouraged to protest in front of Fords house. Just because there is a code in place doesn’t mean that it’s right and the “legalese” you reference often becomes a corrupt weapon. I hope you are open minded enough to see the truth in the possibility that you aren’t always right.
Great comment.
Marching around in circles with tidy white shirts and pleasant signs doesn’t usually work.
Act Up used the tactic of getting into peoples lives for years after politely asking homophobic politicians, CEO’s, policy makers to help with the AIDS epidemic. After watching people die of AIDS for many years they took it to their home and followed them around. My dead friends followed a CEO of a pharmaceutical company that was charging outrageous prices for a lifesaving drug. They used this tactic to reduce the outrageous price of AIDS drugs. The politicians could care less if a bunch of Queers died. Try flying to Mexico and back in one day with empty suitcases to buy the same drugs for our friends at a much lower price. They changed their price shortly after: the action worked. Act up even used these tactics to get the FDA to fast track drugs. We can thank them for changing this policy of fast tracking for covid drugs. Nancy Pelosi, Diane Feinstein, even the owners of Humboldt Redwood Company have had many many protests at their house. It’s our first amendment right. As my dead Act Up friend said ” When they don’t care about you, you inconvenience them”
Never harass anyone at home!
But you can keep their phones ringing at work!! 24/7
Some of these agencies are State….call Huffman and Gavin too.
His department is doing just that, HC, so yeah reap what you sow.
Why not? They obviously have no problem harassing all of us in our homes.