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Oracle resident Alicia Bristow speaks out against open grow sites for medical marijuana. John Hernandez | Miner
San Manuel Miner
On Feb. 18, the Pinal County Board of Supervisors voted to amend a text of the county zoning ordinance regarding open cultivation of medical marijuana. A request had been made by Sean Dugan owner of the Sidewinder Dairy in Casa Grande to allow the use of 10 acres of his farm land for an outdoor medical marijuana grow site. The County Planning and Zoning Commission had voted 9-1 to deny the ordinance change. The Pinal County Attorney’s Office and some other organizations across the county were also opposed to the amendment and outdoor grow facilities in general. At the hearing a number of people voiced their opposition to the site. Letters in support were also presented at the meeting.
Dugan was represented by Jordan Rose of the Rose Law Group. Rose said, “It’s not about medical marijuana, it’s about private property rights.” The Board of Supervisors voted 3-2 in favor of the text amendment although they modified the size of land that can be used to five acres. Voting in favor of the amendment were supervisors Smith, Miller and House. Chairperson Cheryl Chase and District 1 Supervisor Pete Rios voted against it. The ruling will have county wide implications.
In Oracle, the Oracle Neighborhood Watch held an emergency meeting on Tuesday, March 2, claiming that the board of supervisors had approved a five acre cultivation site in Oracle. Around 40 people braved the rain to attend the meeting. At the meeting, Oracle Neighborhood Watch Coordinator Ron Thompson informed those in attendance about an alleged grow site that is planned for Oracle. He prepared a chart with input from the audience on the pros and cons of an open grow site being allowed in Oracle. Items in the positive were much fewer than the negative list which included land values devaluating, increase in insurance rates, 10-foot tall wall unsightly, lighting would adversely affect Oracle Dark Skies, a negative impact on tourism, and an increase in crime.
Over halfway through the meeting Alicia Bristow informed everyone that no open grow facility had been proposed for Oracle. She then got up in front of the audience and spoke about a group of people in Pinal County that have organized in opposition to the text amendment change. The Citizens Against Open Cultivation have started a campaign to get signatures to put a referendum on the ballot during the next election in 2016. The referendum petition needs to gather 8,000 signatures by March 20. If successful the people in Pinal County will be able to decide if outdoor cultivation of medical marijuana should be permitted in the county.
The Oracle Neighborhood Watch and Alicia Bristow will be supporting the Citizens Against Open Cultivation and will be working to gather signatures. Bristow made it clear that she is acting as a concerned citizen and not the President of the Oracle Women’s Network. If you would like to sign the petition you can contact Alicia at The Office 1470 W. American Ave. or call her at 520-241-1142.
At this time no sites in Pinal County have been approved for open grow and no one has applied for a special use permit in Oracle!
John Hernandez lives in Oracle. He is retired and enjoys writing and traveling. He is active in the Oracle Historical Society. He covers numerous public events, researches historical features and writes business/artist profiles.
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