Trinity County supervisors split over interpretation of cannabis 'opt‑out' exception; board gives staff direction

Trinity County supervisors on Oct. 7 debated whether a narrowly written exception to the county’s cannabis opt‑out rules applies only to the single assessor parcel number listed on a historical North Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board enrollment, or whether contiguous parcels under single ownership can be treated as one site.

The discussion stemmed from a staff request, presented by Drew Plobani, interim planning director and cannabis division director, asking supervisors to resolve an “ambiguity determination” in county code (the limitations language that refers to enrollment under the North Coast board’s 2015 order). “We scheduled it as an ambiguity determination for the planning commission to give us guidance on how to interpret and administer this code,” Plobani told the board.

The issue matters to growers and adjacent businesses in opt‑out areas such as Trinity Center, Coffee Creek, Weaverville and Lewiston because the limitation section creates an exception for sites enrolled with the water board by set dates in 2016–2017. Plobani’s staff analysis said there were 32 enrollments under the 2015 order in Trinity County and an…