Deschutes officials get another earful on rural pot business

Rural Deschutes County residents, some who received anonymous notes of alarm in their mailboxes, packed a second planning commission hearing Thursday night to voice their concerns about the potential of numerous recreational marijuana-growing businesses in their neighborhoods.

The unsigned notices claimed, among other things, that large pot grows will have irreversible negative effects on their way of life and property values. Along with links to NewsChannel 21 and other media stories about the issue, the letter included a link to an apparent Clackamas County site, http://www.unwantedpotgrows.com/

Their concerns struck a chord with many.

“I personally cannot imagine what it would be like to have one of these grow operations pop up next door to me,” one resident said.

County planners have presented a proposal that would regulate the production, processing and retail of sale recreational marijuana.

Residents say they’re worried the property values will drop if county officials allowed recreational marijuana grows in rural areas.

But marijuana business owners say they are not the problem — it’s outside growers who are coming to Oregon to make a profit.

One woman who testified said medical marijuana growers need a place so they can grow their product and provide it to their patients.

The planning commission closed the public hearing after Thursday night’s hearing but will keep the written record open until Monday. The commission has scheduled deliberations for Nov. 16 and 23, both at 5:30 p.m. at the county hearings room at 1300 Northwest Wall Street in Bend.

County commissioners will have the final say on whether to allow recreational marijuana grows or opt out of the measure. Their decision is expected in December..