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HomeMy WebLinkAboutEmail from Victoria Cowles - Illegal Marijuana Grows in Butte County Menchaca, Clarissa From: Victoria Cowles <vcowles@hotmail.com> Sent: Thursday, September 28, 2017 8:54 AM To: Connelly, Bill; Wahl, Larry;Teeter, Doug; Kirk, Maureen; Lambert, Steve Subject: Illegal Marijuana Grows in Butte County Attachments: Screen Shot 2017-09.28 at 8.49.03 AM.png Supervisors Connelly, Wahl, Kirk, Lambert and Teeter: I am watching with great interest as the County and City governments around us initiate and place restrictions on the growing of cannabis to the point that Butte County is going to be "the place to grow" without repercussions. I have spoken to Code Enforcement and know that there are citations being issued and fines levied. However, many of the same parcels that have been fined in years past are once again growing this year and I was told unless they are continually reported, no one follows up with them in subsequent years. There doesn't seem to be anything stopping this onslaught of illegal marijuana traffic into our County. The citizens of Butte County voted to restrict the growing of cannabis with Measures A & B and Measures G & H, yet it continues to be a huge problem in the Foothills of Butte County. With the recent Wall and Ponderosa Fires, the numbers of illegal marijuana grows in our area became ever more apparent as one could see the pictures in the newspapers, hear the helicopter pilots working the fire mention the number of marijuana grows and when searching for the location of the fires, SEE them all over the place on Google Earth!!! Some of these grows have PVC pipe going down in the Feather River near Ponderosa Dam which was evident during a recent kayaking trip on the Ponderosa Reservoir and also visible on Google Earth. It scares me to know that there are 6-8 huge grows with more than 99 plants directly across the canyon from where I live that are not being dealt with by the County because they have not been reported. It is difficult to even know how to report these parcels even though I know the threat exists. The immense risk we are under when these growers do not have a home and cook and heat on open flames is daunting to me and others that live in the Foothills. I see their campfires at night when the sun goes down. I have even called to report some fires late at night. Isn't this what started the Ponderosa Fire? According to Mike Ramsey, someone cooking on an open flame, saying they let it burn 24 hours a day. How many fires do we need to endure in Butte County due to the careless nature of someone who shouldn't even be living here? One fireman told me that well over 80% of the fires are started nearby marijuana grows. I do not know if this is true, but it surely is a concern. I implore you to do something to get the illegal marijuana grow situation under control. Supervisors, will you please contact the Yuba County Sheriff, Steve Durfor and the Yuba County Supervisors to find out how to get Butte County listed as a High Intensity Drug I Region so that our County is able to get funds to assist with the illegal marijuana infiltration of our County? I have attached one screen shot showing 5 huge marijuana grows just above Ponderosa Dam. None of them have legal residences. Thank you for all you do for our County. Ble.55ings! Victoria Cowles "The happiest pee ple olon't necessarily have the best ofeverything. Theyjust make the best of evelythIng. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. .. . . . . . . . .�. \ � / ' \° rr \ , ^ . § 3, � , \� . ° � ^ � � �§\ � :§ � ; . .y\x�© ' � \ � ��~- y ? � . a \ ^ . z, \ � , � ���i� : ��� : ���� %��: ���� ��° i� „� : r�/ / » %�, �«� » ���� �m� � �\ � � \/ : � / ����?y ��m ���© a� ?\2� / < , r2 /z . % \ %�,: . �2 { 2r} z ` Z \�\ . � � . . ° : G \\.� %�� ` © \� \