Changes to Nevada County’s medical marijuana laws could be in place before the end of the month, but a new county ordinance will have to wait a little longer. After a seven hour meeting yesterday, the Board of Supervisors decided to pursue an ‘urgency ordinance’ that would allow growers to be able to get county permits as soon as possible, which would make them eligible for state permits when they become available next year. The first several hours of the meeting, though, were spent going over all of the details of a draft ordinance. There was a lot of minute detail, but the crowd got excited when the Board decided against a recommendation to ban firearms at all grow sites…

Listen to Hank Weston

Supervisor Hank Weston. The board decided to go with the urgency ordinance for now, mostly because of concerns about environmental regulations. County Counsel Allison Barratt-Green says any changes having to do with land use are subject to state environmental law known as CEQA…

Listen to Allison Barratt-Green

The Board will discuss the ‘urgency ordinance’ at its May 22 meeting, and could adopt it on that date. Barratt-Green says the so-called ‘permanent ordinance’ couuldn’t go into effect until probably July at the earliest.

–gf