On Tuesday, the Humboldt County Board of Supervisors will discuss whether or not to grant a conditional use permit to a controversial cannabis farm opponents say hosts gangland gun battles.
While the Humboldt County Planning Commission narrowly denied the permit in a four to three vote against Big River Farm β which has 22,000 square feet of cultivation sites on a farm near Briceland β the appellant argues the decision was based on rumors rather than facts, and county staff concurred in their staff report.
βThe issue in this case is that there is no substantial evidence that the operation has been engaged in criminal and dangerous activity. It is not against the law to be the victim of a crime (The applicant was allegedly the target of a failed kidnapping plot in 2019), and unverified accusations by two parties, refuted by the applicant, are not sufficient evidence to find that criminal activity has occurred,β the report said.
The staff report noted that they are not aware of any arrests, warrants for arrest or convictions for criminal activity against the applicant. Furthermore, public comments about hearing gunshots from the property lack evidence that the sounds specifically come from that specific location.
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