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Supervisors ask staff to review microbusiness rules and send state agencies requests to address unpermitted cannabis grows
Summary
The board directed Planning & Building and the cannabis department to review county microbusiness rules and referred the topic to the General Government Committee; separately it approved a letter asking state agencies for more collaboration to enforce illegal large-scale grows and to streamline pathways for regulated entry.
The Mendocino County Board of Supervisors on May 6 directed county staff to review local rules governing cannabis microbusinesses and referred a broader set of questions about facility rules to the board's General Government Committee. Separately the board authorized staff to transmit a formal request to state agencies asking for increased collaboration on enforcement of unpermitted cultivation and for measures to ease regulated-entry for operators.
The microbusiness direction followed years of requests from local cannabis operators and from industry advocacy groups asking the county to align local standards more closely with state definitions and to remove unnecessary barriers. Supervisor Haschak said the move was intended to determine where county rules diverge from state regulation and to identify practical, legally viable changes.
Planning and Building Director Julia Krog told the board staff would compare county facility and microbusiness rules to state regulations and report back through the General Government Committee. Several speakers during public comment, including local cultivators and the Mendocino Cannabis Alliance, urged the county to broaden where microbusiness activities may be allowed, and to make existing compliance pathways clearer and less costly.
In a related action, supervisors approved sending a joint letter requesting state assistance to address large-scale unpermitted cultivation sites. The sheriff and county staff had sought stronger state engagement, particularly for cases that cross jurisdictions or involve organized criminal activity. The board's letter asks state agencies to prioritize enforcement against operations that cause environmental harm or present public-safety risks, and requests support for programs that help unpermitted growers transition into the regulated market.
Votes at a glance: - Motion to refer a review of microbusiness opportunities and limitations to the General Government Committee and to have Planning & Building and the Cannabis Department prepare a comparison with state rules — approved unanimously. - Motion to transmit a letter to state agencies requesting enhanced enforcement against large unpermitted grows and support for streamlined entry into the licensed market — approved unanimously.
Why it matters: Cannabis policy in Mendocino County affects local agricultural economies, public safety, environmental protection and tax revenue. Operators say the county's regulatory complexity and cost have discouraged licensed participation and created a two-tier marketplace in which unregulated sites undermine legal businesses.
What's next: Planning and Building and the Cannabis Department will prepare a comparison of county microbusiness rules versus state rules and return to the General Government Committee; staff will also send the approved letter to state agencies and lawmakers.
