Valley vineyard owners fight nearby marijuana operation

MCMINNVILLE, Ore. (AP) – Some Oregon vineyard owners are asking a judge to ban neighboring property owners from growing marijuana.

The Oregonian/OregonLive reports (http://bit.ly/2pjwPwQ ) the lawsuit filed in Yamhill County Circuit Court this week claims Momtazi Vineyard has already lost one customer due to the planned marijuana operation next door.

Momtazi Vineyards has won awards for the grapes they have grown in McMinnville for 18 years. Upcoming vineyard owners Harihara and Parvathy Mahesh are also joining Montazi in the lawsuit.

Oregon resident Richard Wagner plans to grow about 22,000 square feet to 44,000 square feet of marijuana outdoors on the estimated 305,000 square-foot-property his parents helped him buy last year.

The lawsuit says Wagner’s operation could produce “foul-smelling particles” that would impact the grapes.

Wagner says he is following all the rules and regulations.