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Scotts Valley
October 5, 2025

Pot votes could mean competing cannabis cultivators

The passage of Proposition 64 and Measure E has proved to be a brief high for those supporting recreational marijuana.The state proposition (legalizing recreational pot) doesn’t become effective until January 2018, while the Santa Cruz County measure (a tax on all cannabis activities) has been put on hold by the county Board of Supervisors until at least the end of this year.With mail ballots still uncounted across the state, both issues had comfortable margins, with Proposition 64 at 56-44 percent, and Measure E at 80-20 percent.Meanwhile, a labyrinth of new rules, regulations and permitting processes must be created and then navigated by the public, growers and dispensaries.“We’re going from a black market to a white market,” said Jeff Angell, president of Creekside Collective, a 2-and-one-half-year-old pot dispensary in Boulder Creek. “There will be some hiccups.”Just one week after 7-percent tax bills were mailed to growers, manufacturers and distributors, an uproar before county supervisors on Nov. 15 resulted in a 45-day moratorium on the measure. A public hearing before the board on Tuesday, Dec. 13, may extend the tax moratorium for further study.Newly-hired county Cannabis Licensing Manager Dan Peterson has been charged with overseeing a new, legitimate pot environment that not that long ago was solely used in backrooms and alleys by beatniks and musicians.One of his first duties has been to bring the nascent community of growers into the public fold. Farmers began taking preliminary steps toward going legit in September when they registered online with the county. To date, 950 farmers have paid $500 each and submitted their information. The window closes for applications Nov. 30.“I think it’s safe to say that there are more than 950 cultivators in the county,” said Peterson, who is currently hiring a team of four code-compliance officers. The group represents experts in environmental resource planning, building codes and zoning.After growers pass a background check, there will be a site visit and a $2,500 licensing fee. Peterson let it be known that he’s an expert at ferreting out illegal grows, having learned his craft while enforcing marijuana laws in Yuba City.While a draft environmental impact report (EIR) may take 8 to 10 months to reach completion,  growers only have a year’s grace to come into county compliance.Using Google Earth views, state flyovers and neighbor complaints, the county will not abide by illegal growers. “I’m not going to wait. I’m going to go get ‘em,” Peterson said.Proposition 64 allows adults 21 or older to possess, transport, purchase and use up  to an ounce of dried marijuana and 8 grams of cannabis concentrate, or grow up to six plants indoors.Those with prior marijuana-related convictions can petition the court to have their records cleared to reflect newer laws.There are currently 13 pot dispensaries in the unincorporated areas of the county, one in Santa Cruz and one currently engaged in the permitting process.The City of Scotts Valley adopted an ordinance in 2011 to prohibit pot dispensaries. It is, however, legal to have medical marijuana delivered to Scotts Valley.Small pot boutique dispensary owners are wary that the market may become saturated with huge, out-of-county grows that undercut their ability to make money.“It will be a boom and bust,” said Creekside Collective’s Angell, referring to big growers’ efforts to profit from local customers.“Those (corporate growers) left standing in the mountains won’t be our friends.”Peterson has a more upbeat attitude toward potential competition among cannabis capitalists and collectives.“Local boutiques will be able to compete and exist,” he said, adding that organic grows and strains that target specific illnesses will separate the products.“It’s the difference between Budweiser and a microbrewery.”One unclear aspect of state legalization of pot is federal law, which supersedes local statutes, and how it will be interpreted. President Obama directed the attorney general to take a hands-off approach to state marijuana laws.It is unclear what direction President Trump will pursue after he takes office in January.Peterson predicts that no matter what occurs in the short term, it will take the federal government at least eight years to loosen up its overall policy and remove marijuana from the same category as heroin.This means dispensaries will still have the inability to legally bank their earnings, take credit cards or even get the advice of a certified public accountant regarding weed profits.This means dealing strictly in cash, which is limiting for customers and can be dangerous for owners.“(A change) in the banking situation is long overdue,” said Angell, who has a special, costly arrangement with a local bank to treat his business as a regular merchant.“But there are certain risks that come with the territory.” 

WEEKEND UPDATE: Measure D still in doubt

By the end of the day on Friday, Nov. 18, the counting of mail ballots in Santa Cruz County had passed 90 percent, with no change in the preliminary results announced the morning after the Nov. 8 election.

State bond OK allows new middle school gym project to move forward

Scotts Valley school officials, energized by the approval of a $9 billion school construction bond by state voters last week, expect to begin demolition of the old Middle School gym next summer.

New Kaiser clinics to open Jan.3

Kaiser Permanente said this week it expects to open its three new Santa Cruz County medical offices on Jan. 3.Nearly 120 physicians and staff will be moving in during December, the Oakland-based health care firm said in response to questions from the Press Banner.In Scotts Valley, extensive renovations are underway at a building at the Granite Creek Business Center, on Scotts Valley Drive at Granite Creek Drive.Contractors are working inside and out to get the facility ready for the new Kaiser team.Kaiser spokesman Karl Sonkin said nearly all of the physicians and staff assigned to Santa Cruz County currently work at Kaiser Permanente San Jose Medical Center or Kaiser Permanente Santa Clara Medical Center, but he added that “we have hired several new physicians from the Santa Cruz County Area.”In total, there will be more than 40 Kaiser Permanente specialty care and primary care physicians serving Santa Cruz County.“The majority of the Kaiser  Permanente primary care physicians who will be practicing in Santa Cruz County actually already live in the community,” Sonkin said.“They know Santa Cruz County well and are looking forward to working in the same community where they live. The majority of the primary care physicians serving Santa Cruz County members speak Spanish.”“As membership grows, we will add additional physicians as needed, “ he said.Kaiser declined to say how much it is spending on the build out of the office space in Scotts Valley, Watsonville and Santa Cruz, except to say that “Our expansion here represents a significant investment.”Including Scotts Valley, Kaiser Permanente said it plans to invest more than $100 million over the next five to seven years.General contractor for all of the Kaiser Permanent facilities in Santa Cruz county is XL Construction.Kaiser Permanente reported earlier this year that it already has more than 5,800 members who live in the area and work in one of the health care provider’s existing service areas. In addition, over 500 Kaiser Permanente employees already live in the Santa Cruz County.Santa Cruz members will have access to the full range of health care benefits offered by Kaiser Permanente. Local hospital services and inpatient care will be provided by Watsonville Community Hospital as well as at nearby Kaiser Permanente medical centers in Santa Clara and San Jose.Kaiser hosted a VIP reception in Santa Cruz last week, and expects to build new community ties here. “Kaiser Permanente has a long history of working with local schools, nonprofits, community partners and the health care safety net to identify community needs and making appropriate investments to help them in their important work,” Sonkin said.Kaiser Permanente first signaled its interest in becoming part of the Santa Cruz community when it obtained naming rights for the local basketball arena in 2012.Through Kaiser Permanente’s partnership with the Santa Cruz Warriors, during the 2015-2016 season more than 6,000 students at nine local schools participated in programs designed to encourage literacy and math skills.

New park, swimming pool in Boulder Creek

A new park in Boulder Creek will add a large public swimming pool for Santa Cruz Mountain communities in late 2017.

Walpole named Scotts Valley interim police chief

Scotts Valley Police Lt. Steve Walpole will serve as the city’s Interim Police Chief, beginning Dec. 9 until a permanent appointment is made, City Manager Jenny Haruyama announced Wednesday.

New safer route to Boulder Creek elementary school

Mornings are easier for hundreds of parents and their school-age children in Boulder Creek.

An open letter to Dene, Donna, and Randy,

An open letter to Dene Bustichi, Donna Lind, and Randy Johnson,

Off-Broadway show in Ben Lomond Nov. 18 – Dec. 11

Mountain Community Theater in Ben Lomond presents the acclaimed play Other Desert Cities by Jon Robin Baitz, directed by Peter Gelblum on stage at Ben Lomond’s Park Hall.

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