Resident complains of repeated "cannon" noise from nearby cannabis operation; police cite municipal code and issue citations
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Summary
A Lemoore resident told the council a nearby cannabis farm repeatedly activated noise-generating devices described as "cannons," causing sleep disruption; police said they have cited the operator and are pursuing enforcement that may involve penal-code charges as well as code-enforcement actions.
A Lemoore resident told the City Council on May 6 that noise from a nearby cannabis facility has repeatedly disrupted his familys sleep, and city police said they have begun enforcement actions.
Resident Jay McKay described the devices and frequency: "They're running cannons, and these cannons are basically anywhere from 6 to 17 times a minute that I've timed... We're talking 6, 7000 times a day," he told the council, saying the noise continued overnight on multiple occasions and had caused sleep loss.
McKay reported multiple calls to police and code enforcement, and said officers had visited the site. He asked the council to review local ordinances to prevent similar disturbances and suggested minimum setback distances for devices that make persistent noise.
Lemoores police chief responded that the department had investigated and begun the enforcement process. The chief said the municipal code "is relatively clear" about when devices may not be used and that the department had moved to issue a citation for a municipal code violation. The chief added that enforcement could involve the penal code in cases where that statute applies, and said, "we chose to go the penal code" for more weight in enforcement when appropriate. The chief also said the department would coordinate with code enforcement on the matter.
Council members and staff did not take immediate additional policy action at the meeting but discussed reviewing relevant local rules and noted potential state agricultural law limits. The chief recommended that staff continue enforcement and that council consider whether local ordinance language needs revision in light of the disturbance and any state preemption issues.
The resident requested the council explore possible changes to city rules; staff and the police department said they will continue enforcement and report back on outcomes including any court actions.
