Big cannabis growing site approved in Stanislaus County. School officials opposed it

Supervisors approved a permit Tuesday for a commercial cannabis growing operation in eastern Stanislaus County that was opposed by some residents and school officials in the nearby the community.

All Season Organics LLC was granted a use permit to operate a dozen greenhouses for cultivation, the same number of greenhouses for nursery production and a distribution business, at 1054 Merriam Road near Hickman. The Board of Supervisors vote was 4-1, with Jim DeMartini in dissent.

The cannabis permit was opposed by the Hickman school board and some residents who spoke at public meetings this year. The Hickman Municipal Advisory Council supported the proposal in a 2-1 vote in February, and almost a dozen residents ultimately signed a petition asking for approval.

County leaders said the application met the county’s criteria for a legal growing operation. The board emphasized the county’s goal of using fee revenue from permitted cannabis businesses to shut down illegal grows, including some in Hickman.

Tuesday’s decision came as nearby Waterford has relaxed a previous commitment to be a dry city in the era of marijuana legalization in California.

Supervisor Kristin Olsen made the motion to overturn the July 18 planning commission decision and approve the permit. Tom Berryhill seconded the motion. “You can make the argument it will make this area safer,” said Berryhill, alluding to recent law enforcement raids on illegal grows.

Those in opposition were concerned children will need to walk past the site to reach a school bus stop. The cultivation business is more than a half mile from Hickman Charter Elementary School.

Jonathan Merriam, Hickman school board president, said there’s a history of drug-related violence in the vicinity of the cultivation site. No data was presented on law enforcement calls tied to that address.

At the planning commission hearing in July, a security consultant for All Season said armed security officers would guard the site but would use pepper balls instead of lethal ammunition.

Under a development agreement approved by supervisors, All Season will pay upward of $200,000 in annual community benefit fees and contributions to the county.

Mike Warda, an attorney representing the business, said the applicants have cleaned up the property after a previous owner and have experience in the cannabis industry.

The commercial cannabis permit is supposed to come back to the Hickman MAC for a one-year review.

This story was originally published September 24, 2019 at 3:59 PM.