Solano County Board of Supervisors to consider medical marijuana embargo at this morning's meeting

(Originally published in the 1/5/16 edition)

   The Solano County Board of Supervisors is being asked to consider the adoption of an Interim Urgency Ordinance imposing a 45-day embargo on the distribution, cultivation, manufacturing and testing of medical marijuana in unincorporated Solano County at its meeting today.

   Under 1970’s Controlled Substances Act, the distribution or possession of marijuana is considered a federal offense. However, under the Compassionate Use Act, which was passed by California voters in 1996, patients who use medical marijuana are exempt from criminal liability under state law. In 2005, the U.S. Supreme Court determined in the case of Gonzales v. Raich that Congress had the power to ban the use of marijuana, even where states allow the use for medicinal reasons.

   In 2008, then-Attorney General of California Jerry Brown published “Guidelines for the Security and Non-diversion of Marijuana Grown for Medical Use.” In one section, Brown wrote “Although medical marijuana ‘dispensaries’ have been operating in California for years, dispensaries, as such, are not recognized under state law.” Now serving as governor, Brown signed three separate bills- Assembly Bill 266, Assembly Bill 243 and Senate Bill 643- in October, which imposed statewide rules on the growth, sale and transportation of medical marijuana. All three laws went into effect on Jan. 1.

  The sale and distribution of legal prescription and non-prescription drugs is generally considered an acceptable land use in incorporated and incorporated areas of Solano County, the zoning regulations do not provide specific regulations on medical marijuana. 

   As the ordinance notes, “In order to allow time for the county to consider and study possible enactment of the implementing regulations, it is necessary to suspend the approval of all medical marijuana cultivation, manufacturing, testing, distribution, transportation and home delivery that may be in conflict with development standards and implementing regulations the county intends to consider or study within a reasonable time.”

   The ordinance also notes that a moratorium would give the county enough time to draft and adopt regulations that are consistent with the Compassionate Use Act as well as the recently enacted bills. 

   Four of the five members on the Board of Supervisors would need to vote yes for the ordinance to pass, and it would take effect immediately after being adopted for the next 45 days, unless an extension is called for. 

   In other business, the board will be voting to confirm the selection of president and vice president of the East Vallejo Fire Protection District’s  Board of Directors, and Supervisor Erin Hannigan will be presenting a resolution recognizing January as Human Trafficking Awareness Month. 

   The Board of Supervisors will be meeting at 8:30 a.m. today at 675 Texas St. in Fairfield. For more information, contact 784-3487. 

El Nino poses possible danger for drought-stricken dead trees

(Originally published in the 11/5/15 edition)

   On Monday, an inch of rain dropped on the Bay Area, offering a potential prelude of the El Nino winter that is expected to hit within the next few months. This could be perceived as a relief for a state that has experienced four years of drought, but it is important to consider the negative effects that could result from an El Nino season. One of them concerns dead trees.

   On Oct. 30, Gov. Jerry Brown declared a state of emergency regarding the tens of millions of trees across the state that have been infested by bark beetles as a result of the ongoing drought.

   “California is facing the worst epidemic of tree mortality in its modern history,” Brown wrote in a letter to Tom Vilsack, the secretary of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. “A crisis of this magnitude demands action on all fronts.”

    According to Tina Marchetti, executive director of the Benicia Tree Foundation, dead trees pose a threat not only in wildfires but can also be carried away in floods or mudslides as a result of El Nino.

   “Luckily, Benicia is not as impacted by this as many other parts of the state,” she said. “But it is still important for homeowners to realize the dead trees on their property can pose a threat.” 

   Brown has called for dead trees to be removed through controlled burns. Additionally, Marchetti says there are other things people can do to minimize the impact of El Nino on dead trees.

   “It is important to continue to care for trees during the drought, even if the tree is located in a lawn area that you have discontinued watering,” she said. “It’s important to not let the tree die.”

   Marchetti also added that homeowners should trim branches so they aren’t near roofs or gutters, as they could break during heavy winds. Additionally, she suggested working with tree removal companies or arborists, such as A Plus Tree Service in Vallejo. 

   As for when to start this process, Marchetti advised that homeowners start landscaping right away.

   “It can sneak up on you,” she said. “We had a pretty heavy system just a couple days ago, so the sooner the better.”

   Marchetti noted that Benicia Tree Foundation is willing to help people replace their dead trees. The organization will be planting 150 new trees in the next month, including at Benicia High School and the Benicia Housing Authority from 9 a.m. to noon, Saturday, Nov. 14. 

   “We welcome help from the public if they would like to volunteer and help plant young trees,” she said.