On Thursday, May 20, there will be a Planning Commission meeting for another large cannabis grow. This is near the county’s only airport, plus many residential homes, off George Road.

George Road is a rough, dirt, one lane road plus dead-end road. Families along this road will have the impact of commercial cannabis vehicles traveling right close to their homes, seven days a week up to 24 hours a day. Sure Mr. Gustafson says he can use Mathews Road as entrance but have not seen any written word.

Families who reside on George Road have children, chickens, dogs, cats, horses, sheep, cows, etc. How will they be protected from the commercial trucks driving down the road, I am sure they will stop for children (maybe) but animals, probably not happily.

The odor from cannabis, dust, fuels, fertilizer, running of generators, lighting, etc. due to this project is unthinkable to me. It is bad enough to drive around Lake County now, the nauseating skunk smell makes you sick, and more to come?

What are you thinking when we are going into another drought and fires that Lake County is still recovering from? Do you think that the families who live out there will be happy when they turn on their faucets to receive no water? What about fires? Is the fire department going to be available to protect the families or the cannabis?

I thought we were trying to be wine county; we also are venturing into antiques stores. This is a long way from bringing in visitors to enjoy our county. We will now be known as Humboldt Lake County, known for cannabis, not clear skies, lake, fresh air, views of the green hills, wineries, and antiques shopping. What we will have is cannabis outdoors or those great looking white huts to look at and shop at.

I realize that Lake County is looking for the revenue, but would officials want to live there? I would not. There is plenty of empty space out of public housing space, go into those areas, away from us.

Just a thought.

Debbe Blake lives in Lakeport, California.