Inyo Supervisors approve two retail cannabis licenses

By Deb Murphy

No real surprise – Inyo County Board of Supervisors approved both the first two retail cannabis licenses and the $8,850 annual license fee at Tuesday’s meeting.

PALS Associates, Inc. and Simply Green, both located in the Bishop area, got the green light.

Nobody suffered cardiac arrest at the license fee, which is more than reasonable in light of other California county fees, like San Luis Obispo’s $22,000. According to Inyo/Mono Ag Commissioner Nate Reade, the high end fees top out at $90,000.

Since the license fee runs from June 30 through July 1 of the following year, Reade explained these first licensees will pay a pro-rated fee based on the number of months left in the annual cycle.

As Supervisor Matt Kingsley said at the end of the public hearings, “this is sort of anti-climactic.”

But, the fun part of the series of public hearings was learning all about the reproductive activity of cannabis/hemp plants. That info came out during the discussion on restricting industrial hemp growers to indoors to protect nearby cannabis operations. Cross-pollination spells doom for both varieties.

Hemp growers’ primary concern focused on the lower value of hemp compared to potent cannabis. With a potential price tag between $30 and $50 a pound, the financial burden of building greenhouses would be untenable.

According to comments made by both hemp and cannabis growers, they’re already dealing with pollination issues. Male plants are generally trashed in preference for the females. So all pollination is avoided. According to Chuck Kaiser, growers want all female plants and no seeds.

Cannabis grower Nathan Lund explained away the danger of hermaphrodites, a rare occurrence that only happens when the plant is under stress. Feminized seeds are available and the gender of plants can be determined once the first leaf sprouts, just in case pollen has invaded the premises, he said.

“We all work together,” Lund said in reference to cannabis and hemp growers In Nevada, he said, hemp operations need permission from cannabis growers within a five mile radius.

Kingsley was still a little skeptical. “You all get along now,” he said. “But, we have to be careful.”

Reade suggested the ordinance be amended to remove the requirement for indoor grows while still leaving the section on pollen control. The Supervisors approved the changes.

 

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T-Bone
T-Bone
4 years ago

As stated in the story, $9k / year is quite low, and a very small percentage of what’s likely a highly profitable business. Overhead is low and customers will spend on average hundreds of dollars per visit. Think of what it costs to run a restaurant in this town. These… Read more »

Mono local
Mono local
4 years ago

David Dennison Your blaming Trump for the cost of a pot license in California. This state is ran by democratis don’t blame Trump. If you want to blame the cost of a pot license in California is it’s the dems fault. People are leaving here like crazy taxes are to… Read more »

David Dennison
David Dennison
4 years ago
Reply to  Mono local

Who the hell is blaming trump for the cost of a pot license?…what I was saying is,this is the NEW America…where money means all…the Government wants more so they can either waste more,or try to get more to build an imaginary wall…which they’re not going to get….at least with the… Read more »

David Dennison
David Dennison
4 years ago

BobK….My hatred for trump isn’t too different than the other 63 % of America….for a flurry of reasons, the main one being how he’s making this Country the laughing-stock of the world,and also the least respected country in the world too…as far as California being over taxed and over valued,what… Read more »

Trout Junkie
Trout Junkie
4 years ago
Reply to  David Dennison

63% where did u get that # ??
If you dont like USA and Trump Move

David Dennison
David Dennison
4 years ago
Reply to  Trout Junkie

Well,”trout junkie”,his latest approval rating sits at 37 %…even lower in some polls…and dropping..about the only ones left that support (worship) him are those that see him as the Knight in shining armor,unable to stand on their own two feet,needing a trump to show them how to put one foot… Read more »

BobK
BobK
4 years ago

Hey People, (mostly Lo Inyo) you live in Ca. Everything is over taxed and over valued. Why are you blaming Trump for this one, David?

Trout Junkie
Trout Junkie
4 years ago
Reply to  BobK

Agree 100% w Bob K….

sugarmags
sugarmags
4 years ago

If they make the fees too high, people will just continue to buy from their friendly neighborhood pot seller who isn’t licensed. If you want to profit from the legalization of this, you better not be too greedy.

Concerned
Concerned
4 years ago

Which outdoor cannabis cultivation plot, in Inyo County, are they worried about contaminating? Don’t they realize?: #1 Inyo doesn’t have any approved cannabis (MJ) cultivators and #2 MJ cultivation outdoors in CA is limited to one acre. Hemp can be planted on thousands of acres. Seems to me, you would… Read more »

Bob
Bob
4 years ago

Everyone’s an expert now…

Pot Head
Pot Head
4 years ago

When will it turn recreational so anyone can go in?

Charles O. Jones
Charles O. Jones
4 years ago

Almost 9 grand a year just for a license? I’m not particularly interested in their products but this sounds like a government rip off. And just because other cites/counties may charge more doesn’t make it right.

David Dennison
David Dennison
4 years ago

Charles O.Jones…..Welcome to the “new” America……trump’s America…it’s all about the $$$$ now,even more-so than before…the Government needs more money so they can waste more…you can be a liar on a daily basis,have no morals what-so-ever, and still have 38 % of the population worship the ground you walk on….and with… Read more »

Tinner
Tinner
4 years ago
Reply to  David Dennison

David Dennison aka Low Inyo aka Low Boy, you are all over the place with that comment, man. One thing you never stray from is your hatred for Trump, get over it, Trump is the president. SHEESH.

David Dennison
David Dennison
4 years ago
Reply to  Tinner

…not my president…

Trout Junkie
Trout Junkie
4 years ago

they cant help it. . They need the money for their pension Accounts.

Tinner
Tinner
4 years ago

Many of the ”old school” crowd may not like this but this was the right decision. To them I say there are a lot of very good, hard working and responsible people out there who smoke pot and nothing else, just pot. A lot more than you know. It is… Read more »