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HomeMy WebLinkAboutBocc Packet 02122014 LAFKLC LLCMEMORANDUM TO: Pitkin County Board of County Commissioners THRU: Cindy Houben,aaCommunity Development Director FROM: Lance Clarke Csistant Director RE: LAFKLC, LLC (Radtke) Activity Envelope and Site Plan Review with Scenic Review and Flexibility for Agricultural Support DATE: February 12, 2014 SUMMARY: The Applicant is requesting approval to construct up to 19,000+7- square feet of greenhouses and supporting buildings on a lot that is developed with a single family residence, an Employee Dwelling Unit, tack shed, and garage. APPLICANT: Green Essentials Medical, LLC (Ron Radtke) OWNER: LAFKLC, LLC REPRESENTATIVE: Ron Radtke LOCATION: 2520 Lower River Road, Lot 6 Aspen River Valley Ranch ZONING/LOT SIZE: AR-10/38+1- acres. The Lot is conforming in size. BACKGROUND: This item was continued on December 18, 2013, at the request of the Applicant and the consent of the Board to allow the Applicant an opportunity to respond to items submitted by representatives of "neighbors" subsequent to the Board's packet distribution for the December 18 meeting. Those items were notably a letter from Matthew Ferguson dated December 16, 2013, and materials submitted by Martin Quigley dated December 12, 2013 (both attached). The Board closed the public hearing on December 18, 2013, and directed that no new materials be included in the record other than the Applicant's response. The staff memo from the December 18, 2013, hearing is included herein. ATTACHMENTS: A) Ferguson Dec.16, 2013 letter B) Quigley Dec. 12, 2013 materials C) Board Dec. 18, 2013 packet Page I of I 000001 c)r(lt/ MATTHEW C. FERGUSON LAW FIRM December 16, 2013 VIA MAIL AND E-MAIL Pitkin County Board of County Commissioners Ms. Cindy Houben Director---Pitkin County Community Development Department Mr. Lance Clark Assistant Director --- Pitkin County Community Development Department 130 South Galena Street Aspen, Colorado 81611 John Ely, Esq. Pitkin County Attorney's Office County Attorney 530 East Main Street, Suite 301 Aspen CO 81611 Re: LAFKLC, LLC Activity Envelope Site Plan Review, and Request for Exempt Agricultural Floor Areal Parcel ID# 2367-254-00-007 and Greenhouse Code Amendments — Second Reading. Dear Commissioners, Ms. Houben, Mr. Clark and Mr. Ely: We have and are reviewing the Staffs Memoranda prepared for the December 18 2013, hearing on the LAFKLC application and the Greenhouse Code Amendments. Staff has not changed its position. The proposed BOCC ordinance approves amendments to greenhouse that includes findings and opinions that so-called "greenhouse that is not customarily assessor to principal residential use" now include the commercial grow operations for a controlled substance. Staff and the county attorney (who supports the revision) are improperly allowing a code amendment to include the never intended use of commercial pot growing. 1 We are uncertain as to why staff put quotations around "new" materials. There are new materials for the record and the backhanded editorial is unnecessary. A PROFESSIONAL CORPORATION I ATTORNEYS AT LAW 119 South Spring Street, Suite 201 I Aspen, Colorado 81611 1970.925.6288 office 1970.925.2273 fax WW W.MATTHEWFERGUSONI.AW.COM 0U0002 Letter to Commissioners, Ms. Cindy Houben, Lance Clark, and John Ely, Esq. December 16, 2013 Page 2 We thus gain write on behalf of Martin Schlumberger to strongly caution the Board of Commissioners against making a determination that the commercial cultivation of marijuana in a greenhouse is an "agricultural activity" as defined in the Pitkin County Land Use Code, thereby making it a use by right in Agricultural zoned districts in Pitkin County. Marijuana has never been defined as an "agricultural crop" by the State of Colorado or the United States Government. (See attached list of the "crops" produced in Colorado and the National ranking of Colorado Products for 2011.) In Colorado, the Department of Revenue, not the Department of Agriculture, is tasked with the regulation of Colorado's retail and medical marijuana industries. In Colorado, growing marijuana does not receive AG status for the purpose of real property taxation. Title 8, Chapter 11 of The Pitkin County Land Use Code defines Agricultural Products as "means fresh fruits and vegetables that are grown in the State of Colorado or products from such produce (e.g. fruit juices or preserves)". A Tulare County Superior Court Judge in California recently ruled that in California, marijuana has never been classified as a crop or horticultural product. Marijuana is a controlled substance. The Court went on to find that as a matter of law, growing a controlled substance such as marijuana is not an agricultural use of property. His decision was upheld by the California Court of Appeals in County of Tulare v. Nunes, 155 Cal. Rptr. 3d 781 (CA Ct. App_ 2013). Section 26.104.100 of the City of Aspen's Land Use Code specifically states that Cultivation, Manufacturing and Testing of Medical or Retail marijuana shall not be considered Agricultural uses. Marijuana is a lucrative pharmaceutical — not an agricultural crop. It is going to be BIG business in Colorado and large scale commercial ventures (like Monsanto) and cartels2 should not be allowed to operate in rural, residential areas like Woody Creek. There are by way of example 10 Pharmaceutical drugs which have been developed which either contain or have similar chemicals as those found in the cannabis plant. A major pharmaceutical company received approval this week from the Food and Drug Administration for a cannabis derived medicine called Epidiolex. The pharmaceutical companies and corporate farming conglomerates like Monsanto are getting into the business. Commercial growing of "medical" and recreational pot is going to be big business. If it is defined as "agricultural" and treated as produce, or milk or meat, Pitkin County has entered a very slippery slope indeed. We can say goodbye to its "natural, rural scenery" and scenic corridors which, according to its 2 The drug cartels have made huge inroads into domestically grown pot and distribution and the Federal Government is carefully monitoring organized crimes entry to control its market. To think that the drug cartels will go away because the "war on drugs" can stop is naive. They have the money; know how, strength and clearly incentive to control "legal" commercial growing. Pitkin County citizens can be sure that lack of control, including through zoning, will lead to this area being a center of pot growth. Ratke has suggested that "Scansions" are the only "crop" on lower river road. The money that this business will bring to bear as we allow them to open doors will change the true an AG land forever. 006003 Letter to Commissioners, Ms. Cindy Houben, Lance Clark, and John Ely, Esq. December 16, 2013 Page 3 Land Use Code, the County seeks to protect. To the extent that the Board of Commissioners wants to allow marijuana producers to operate in Pitkin County, they must be restricted to commercial and industrial zones; otherwise you will destroy this beautiful, scenic rural county. We once again request complete denial of the application and further amendments to the proposed greenhouse code, so that this Board can work with state, City of Denver and other authorities who are just now embarking on zoning issues in the wake of this sea change legalization of growing a commercial, "cash", non -regulated and controlled substance. The Department of Revenue is not going to control pesticides, watershed impacts, water consumption, fertilization issues as is starting to be done by some state's agricultural departments. That LAFKLC is representing all the glory of its "organic" product and techniques, is not rationale to open the door to this unregulated growing industry. Opening a large operation in Lower River Road is simply and assuredly going to compound problems before they arc even studies and resolved. If land use for pot growth is not exempt as agricultural land, then staff through code amendments should not allow pot to be grown under the classification of agriculture. Very truly yours, cc: Jody Edwards, Esq. (via e-mail) Laura Maytlin, Esq. (via e-mail) 4835-8067-3815, v. 1 0JUOO4 gC) fi Wy 1s U 2 a hl A b Oi T o - V ti ?. -a w `1 P Cr] 4. A 27. 0 n w F 4 O a Li t l R try Y A s,uat'jo JagwnI 4 IIo1JA Oa-i13J am As suoniesadp 'sf a O C7 C] ox oa q aikrnif e .s v' iI . „ . , - f' a w . . ' . - . 8:::: 1,4N 5'.51 Kp L) W ESu OD QTh A A A W N O ? EA is4 oq°' 0 y o. g o x p g, :' r 8 r. O ▪ g Y+ 0 0 0 Dag n 8. N x w ,`3. -4 •a wA0Ce 8808848 g ? ? Li Li i 0 N 03 N n o. o g a co- J G H o W 7C N AO° b ▪ m O V a iR if 146 ff O ft.44 4 g g '.1-- -A °rpRd l " MEP 1 ma-g tg Q O 0 A 0 I 0 V U O 0 !g o b w v o 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 kD A. i., O 0 0 0 0 0 C U P. 4. 0 U Qv O O H 'I d0 M R10 C, m y �n Yn P P F! N P • tPg ...0. W 00 y V A U .N.. .•• N fd N OC �1 til ZD U 06 H r ti. .... U SO bn. p, ~i a A a s 8 I n 0 a G) 8 8 0 Q a C 9 co 000005 Martin F. Quigley, MLA, Ph.D. Kurtz Professor of Botany Landscape Architect, CO# 902 Dept. of Biological Sciences The University of Denver, BW 218 Denver, CO 80208; 303-871-3973 December 12, 2013 Pitkin County Board of County Commissioners c/o Lance Clarke, AICP 130 S. Galena Street, 3rd Floor Aspen, CO 81611 Dear County Commissioners: I have been retained by Barry-Wehmiller, represented by Hal Dishier, to work with him and with Patrick Rawley of Stan Clauson Associates, to review and comment on the LAFKLC, LLC, proposal for a grow operation off of Lower River Road, located in the Woody Creek Caucus. Over my career I have been a horticulturist, organic gardener of both edible vegetables and cannabis, a ranch and farm worker, botanist and ecologist (Ph.D. Plant Community Ecology, 1994), land planner and environmental scientist (Master of Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning, 1979). My professional response to this Application to the BOCC is that this proposed production facility is not truly an agricultural use. Even without the great amount of data necessary to quantify the various impacts of this proposed operation, it is already clear that this business is not suitable for a location along the Roaring Fork, or in a large -acreage residential area such as Lower River Road. I have reviewed the LAFKLC, LLC application, news articles, and web searches and I have reviewed the video recording of the previous hearing held on November 6, 2013. This is a list of my professional opinion on each major effects of the proposed grow operation by LAFKLC, LLC. These responses are amplified in the text of this report. I) LIGHTING/REFLECTIVE MA 1 ERIALS will be intrusive and/or disruptive both by day or night. 2) STRUCTURES will be visibly intrusive. 3) EFFLUENTS will impact the river and watershed. 4) SMELL from the operation, the cannabis odor, will be noticeable near the site during year-round production. 5) TRAFFIC impacts will be realized on local roads, but hard to quantify without additional data. 6) THIS IS NOT AGRICULTURE. Discussion of the issues; 1) LIGHTS/REFLECTIVE MATERIALS - Will they be intrusive or disruptive either by day or night? YES There are three kinds of light/reflective material issues that would be produced on the site: intensive interior grow -lights at night, reflected light from structure during the day, and additional night light from exterior security fixtures. GROWLIGHTS—It is my professional opinion that a commercial grow operation supplying high quality medical marijuana will not be successful without the use of growlights. Although referring to the need for screening the light shining through the polycarbonate panels, the Applicant has not specified the number, intensity, and effect of electric, presumably HID —high intensity discharge-- lamps that are the currently optimal energy sources for all commercial cannabis grow operations. To the contrary, the Applicant has stated that artificial lights will not be used in the proposed operation, implying that sunlight alone will be sufficient. Which will it be? In an efficient grow operation, production is year-round. By increasing the quality and length per day of how much light the plants get, growers speed up the growth cycle for the female plants that produce the valuable buds (see attachment 1, U.S. Energy Information Admin). For much of their life -cycle, row -house crops are under light up to 18-20 hours per day. Later, growers shorten the period of light to cause the plants to set buds and flower. This way, grow -house operators can produce as much as four times as much product as an outdoor operation could, or a greenhouse using only natural light and ambient temperatures (see attachment 6). Grow house operators recommend using 1,000-watt horticulture High Intensity Discharge (HID) bulbs. By comparison, incandescent light bulbs range between 40 and 150 watts, and compact fluorescent light bulbs use between 9 and 52 watts. Each plant occupies an area of 4 sf at maturity, and each HID bulb can sustain about 15 plants. The two greenhouses each have a floor area of almost 10,000 square feet, or about 20,000 total sf, about 75% of which could be production area. If 15,000 sf of floor or bench growing area holds 3,750 plants at 4sf/plant, the plants would require 250 1,000 watt HID bulbs, that would produce a light intensity that, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (1), would rank halfway between that of billboard and stadium lighting. The Applicant would be hard-pressed to find or implement any method of screening that would effectively keep the light from beaming into the night sky. if, as I suspect, the Applicant will utilize artificial light in the grow operation, more information would be required to be provided by the Applicant to determine the impacts of light pollution, such as number and wattage of lamps, and the nocturnal light patterns throughout the year, if indeed the lighting regime will change through the seasons. REFLECTIVE LIGHT: How much reflected light from the greenhouse structures will be seen in the daytime? While a polycarbonate exterior is less reflective than glass, it is still quite reflective. Such reflected light cannot be mitigated without reducing available sunlight to the plants located within the green house structure, so is not an option. The Applicant's choice of materials will therefore make the proposed buildings visible from offsite, both vertically and horizontally, Much of the existing vegetation on site is deciduous, so at the very least the buildings would sparkle like mirrors on every sunny day in the winter months and no amount of vegetation will screen the reflective panels from all angles during the summer months. While interior shading, with fabrics of varying density, can be used to reduce day length to induce flowering in the plants, such shading will not reduce exterior reflectivity of a polycarbonate greenhouse. Moreover, only part of the crop will require the shade periods provided by the interior shading at any given time. Therefore, periodic shading (only a few weeks out of the several months growing cycle of the plants) will not have much impact on general light spill from the structures. Blackout cloth placed over the structures would require substantial daily man- hours to put up and take down. While the applicant is proposing to utilize a greenhouse for their operations, it would be more effective to grow in an opaque structure with total light control. SECURITY LIGHTING: Will directional spotlights mounted on buildings, fences, or poles and trees, add more light pollution to the areas surrounding the development site? Yes. According to Professor Robert Steneel (pers. comm.) the issue of light pollution is of increasing concern to ecologists and planners, both urban and rural. Strong night lights may disrupt breeding cycles of insects, change the flowering cycles of some plants and prevent some vegetation from going dormant in the fall. The can also influence behavior of nocturnal birds and mammals by disrupting the natural darkness. In addition to the concerns over the broad spreading emanations of grow lights, exterior security lamps are directed outward and downward, and are a powerful element of light pollution. Spotlights create pools of light that would be the brightest spots in the area. Again, there is insufficient information contained in the application to comment on the impacts of security lights. We have almost no specifications for any of the structure, materials, or equipment, including light fixtures, for these greenhouses. In my opinion, three different sources of both day and night light spill will have a major impact on the adjacent areas, not only for residents and passing vehicles, but also affecting the behavior of nocturnal animals, such as bats and owls. Resident (as opposed to migratory) animals might not be impeded physically, but some would avoid any area that is brightly lit at night, or busy with traffic during the day. 2) STRUCTURE: Will this installation be visible or visibly intrusive? YES The buildings will be very obvious, and totally unlike any other structures along the Lower River Road. While the Applicant claims that the siting of these two large buildings will be "nestled" or "clustered" they in fact do not adhere to any kind of rural motif found in the County. The greenhouses are set on the landscapes as they would if they were urban warehouses. Two large parallel pads will be graded to provide level building areas. As such, the Applicant's very schematic grading plan does not respect the existing site topography and will present the entire expanse of the roofs to users of the Rio Grande Trail. The color and quality of all exterior materials have not been specified. The Applicant proposes making the character defining element of the property not a traditional agricultural or residential structure, as seen along Lower River Road, but rather a structure where both walls and "roof' are constructed of the same translucent and reflective polycarbonate material which is inconsistent with the style, feel, and flavor of the neighborhood. What surfaces can "indigenous" exterior color be painted to make them consistent with applicable code requirements? The Applicant has obfuscated the country requirement. Finally, all grow operations have relatively high security needs; what kind of security fencing will be installed on the site? What are their materials, height, and visual density? Will the fence be built around the building compound, or along the property line? Again, more information from the Applicant is required to make a specific conclusion. In my opinion these are large industrial structures that cannot be sited or built in any way that is actually harmonious with the surrounding landscape. No amount of trees or shrubbery will screen them completely and the structure will present a significant visual impact to the motorist on Lower River Road, Highway 82, and Rio Grande trail users. 3) EFFLUENTS: Will effluents impact the river and watershed? YES In the absence of any relevant data from the Applicant, I can only conclude that there will be some, and possibly serious, effects on water quality on the watershed, most particularly the Roaring Fork drainage. Hydroponic operations typically do not recirculate treated growing water until the plants consume 100% of nutrients or other chemicals, let alone the water itself. This does not make sense because 1) Buildup of salts would quickly change the nutrient and pH growing conditions for optimal growth and 2) Any fungal or bacterial infections, or insect pests in one plant, would be instantly spread to all of them. "Run -to waste systems" describes those systems in which the excess nutrients and plant exudates are not re -circulated F(3): Tutorial on run to waste systems; (4): Run to waste effluent concentration; and (5): Monitoring greenhouse run-off. Plants do not consume "100% of the nutrients" in any hydroponic system, or in any other growing operation.] 000 00 Modern grow -houses may apply new fertilizer mix daily, with increasing concentrations until the end of the growth cycle (4): Measure and Monitor run-off in greenhouses). But it is still unclear to us how the plants will actually be produced. Will they be grown hydroponically (roots in water), aeroponically (roots in mist), aquaponically (plant effluent feeding a fish tank, and fish waste feeding the plants)? All three are options for high - production cannabis operations. Or will the plants be grown in a more traditional growing medium such as soil, or rock wool? If truly organic, will they be using coir, manure or compost only? I doubt that any soil mix or in -ground cultivation method is inferior to those listed above, and I am assuming that the system will be hydroponic, with no recycling of nutrients. The Applicant claims that "The plants are grown 100% organically" —but that is a label that has yet to be quantified or defined by the USDA. The statement by the Applicant that "the organic nutrients being used are acceptable for human consumption" is a non -sequitur. Most of the required elements, if not the fertilizer molecules themselves, are indeed part of the human diet, but unless actual consumption of the proposed concentrations of these nutrients were specifically tested on a range of organisms, the statement is meaningless. The Applicant has also asserted that the chemicals used in the system, and therefore the runoff produced, will be "organic" and "not harmful." The Applicant has said that all water that has been used to irrigate the plants will be treated in a treatment pond along with any solid or liquid waste. This position is inconsistent with the Applicant's assertion that the plants will use 100% of the nutrients. They can't have it both ways. The matter is further confused when the Applicant shows in the schematic site plan a detention pond. What is its volume, and is it intended only for stormwater retention or for effluent as well? How will it be protected from precipitation that might make it overflow? The environmental risks to aquatic habitat from discharge of highly concentrated plant fertilizers have been well -documented. Rapid growth of algae is usually the first visible effect. Algae blooms reduce the dissolved oxygen content of the water, and threaten many organisms, including trout, that depend on the high oxygen content of mountain water. Edge vegetation could also grow more rapidly with the extra fertilizer in the water, affecting the shoreline plant community. In addition, pesticides—antifungal, anti -bacterial, and anti - insect additives-- may be harmful to native organisms, from animals to insects to fish and to plants. During the winter and with the detention pond frozen, very little of the effluent would be broken down under natural processes, posing the risk of contaminants in the spring thaw. A very detailed report on the nature and volume of effluent must be conducted. Keep in mind that even if all effluent is run into a detention/passive treatment pond, a large rain event or rapid melt can fill the pond to overflowing, releasing the stored effluent into the riparian zone. 000010 I believe the issue of effluent treatment or disposal is a major concern for any commercial growing operation adjacent to a riparian zone, especially a pristine stream such as the Roaring Fork. The Board should request more detailed information. 4) SMELL: How much of the operation will we smell, and how bad is the smell itself? The smell, while rank, will be localized and this is not a significant issue as it would be in an urban setting. Perception of smell is subjective, though any smell can be bothersome if intense or constant. Cannabis has a musky, musty quality that is usually compared to skunk. While not many skunk discharges affect local air quality in a significant way, or for very long, the 24/7/365 output of a marijuana grow operation would be considerably more impactful. The applicant has made statements that the smell associated with the operations only occurs at harvest time. This is untrue: cannabis has a pretty powerful odor at all stages, and the odor increases in intensity as the crop flowers. And, there will be plants in flower year- round for continuous harvest. The Applicant has said that various methods will/can be utilized to 'scrub' the air. No details, nor the level of effectiveness of such proposed scrubbing mechanism, have been provided by the Applicant. In making such determination, the amount of gas volume and rate of air exchange in the grow areas have not been disclosed. 5) TRAFFIC- Would increased vehicular traffic impact local roads? The applicant has asserted that this is an agricultural operation "not unlike existing agricultural operations" that currently are pursued in the immediate vicinity. This is clearly untrue. Twice yearly, seasonal cutting and transport of pasture hay is not even remotely conceivably similar to a year-round high intensity indoor growing operation. Without any data on the actual production area and product output for the proposed land use, there is no accurate way to determine trip generation, whether employee, material delivery, or product shipment, that will affect the local roads. The Applicant must provide information regarding likely amount of product that will be grown, the frequency of harvests, and how many trips will be required to get their product to market. Large scale marijuana grow operations, such as is proposed by the Applicant, is a very labor intensive activity. The Applicant should be required to provide the previously described data to allow a for a comprehensive assessment of the neighborhood impacts. 6) IS THIS AGRICULTURE? Can a high -intensity interior grow operation, regardless of its product, actually be understood as an agricultural enterprise and land use? NO. The proposed land use is for large scale, interior hydroponic horticultural production, without soil, natural rainfall, or natural and seasonal light regime. This operation installation is not at all similar to traditional agricultural methods. uuU This proposed activity is not about seasonal farming: this is an intensive year-round business that happens to produce plant products. That does not make is agriculture. This production system could not be operated successfully in the native soil or open air, as is true of most agricultural production. Further, interior grow -house operations, typically in highly controlled conditions in opaque -walled warehouses, have far more control over growth conditions. Hydroponic systems yield much higher and year-round product output. Except for confined animal feeding operations, there isn't any similar production schedule in traditional agriculture. 11us is not a roots -in- the -ground field or nursery proposition that most of us in the field recognize as agriculture. Were the County Commissioners to review the many differences between an interior grow operation and the field production of any other vegetable crop, including cannabis, under outdoor and natural conditions, it would be quickly apparent that this kind of business is more appropriate to urban areas with more access to utilities and supplies. At best this could be called factory farming, where the product (whether animal or vegetable) is confined in a warehouse with an almost high light intensity, an unnatural light schedule, elevated temperature. and a system that delivers nutrients, pesticides, anti-hiotics and water sanitation chemicals continuously, 24 hours a day. This is not a farming proposal. Regardless of the crop being raised, these are confined operations that might be labeled "intensive interior horticulture,," hut not agriculture as commonly understood. The Applicant should provide a detailed production plan and schedule, including the nature, amounts, and waste treatment for all chemical inputs, "organic" or otherwise. Additionally, the Application should include all building material specifications. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS Though the name "cannabis" raises many social and economic concerns, that is of secondary importance here. The type of plant product itself is less significant than the structures, processes, and impacts of the proposed land use on Lower River Road. As cannabis attains full legality, any personal beliefs or opinions about its use are irrelevant to this analysis. The Applicant has raised more questions than he has answered. and should be required to provide a detailed response in accordance with the matters raised in this report. I request an opportunity to make a brief presentation at the hearing on December le, where 1 will be glad to answer any questions raised by this report. ']12 References: 1) US Energy Information Administration ( 2013) 3) Run to waste systems Tutorials (2006) 4) Run to waste system, Flairform Hydroponics (2009) 5) Measure and Monitor run-off in greenhouses, NSW Primary Industries (2009) 6) Marijuana Cultivation/Fundamentals/Dirt vs Hydroponic Wikibooks (2013) 7) Cannabis Cultivation Wikibooks (2013) uui313 1? +13 Stadiums and arenas use eflrcient, high wetlege laps - Todayin Energy. U S. Energy lrif motion Adntnistratian (EtA) elr�4 U.S. Energy Information tta. Administration Today in Energy February 6, 2013 Stadiums and arenas use efficient, high wattage lamps average wattage per lamp technology type by subsector (watts) Estimated inventory of outdoor tamps stadiums billboards roadways paftong airfields building exteriors railways traffic signals 0% 25% 50% 75% 100% 0 4-11 1,000 2,000 # incandescent or halogen LED or other ■ • II • act and linear fluorescent tt�g ntensrty discharge Source: U.S.' partille of Energy Lighting Market Characterization. Most sports tad" and indoor arenas use high intensity discharge (HID) lamps for almost all of their overhead lighting needs. On average, stadium lights have much higher wattage than other outdoor lighting applications such as billboards. roadways, and parking lots. While HID lamps are very efficient, they require significant time to warm up and achieve full brightness after being extinguished. This characteristic contributed to the length of the delay in last Sundays Super Bowl game after a power disruption knocked out some of the stadium lighting in the Superdome. According to a 2012 U.S. Department of Energy(DOE) study, 17% of all U.S. lighting energy consumption is used outdoors. and 83% of outdoor lighting consumption comes from HID lamps. Unlike other lighting types, which can be found in a wide range of applications, HID lamps are generally limited to outdoor, warehouse, and industrial use because of their high levels of light output. For instance, a 60-watt incandescent lamp (or an equivalent compact fluorescent using ontyabout 14 watts) will produce about 800 lumens of light output per lamp. Most residential and commercial applications only need each lamp to provide light levels in the range of about 800 to 4,000 lumens per lamp, but HID lamps can provide more than 15,000 lumens per lamp, making them suitable for places like sports stadiums, factories, and warehouses, where large areas need lots of light. Other lighting types, such as light -emitting diode (LED), incandescent, and halogen lamps, are used in applications like signals, signage, and other general illumination. High levels of light output require a lot of energy. But HID lights are about as efficient, if not more efficient, than other lighting types on a lumens -per -watt basis. As seen below, HID lights provide 75 lumens of light per watt —making them more efficient than some other lighting types that are also used in outdoor applications, One disadvantage of high intensity discharge lights is their long warm-up and restrike times. As millions of viewers witnessed, last Sundays Super Bowl had a 34-minute outage. The New Orleans Superdome uses metal halide lights, a type of HID lamp, as its main overhead lighting in the arena. After the power outage during the Super Bowl, it took several minutes for power to be restored and then more time for the lights to restrike, or achieve full brightness after being extinguished. Because of the way the vmw,eia gerllr>day,nenergyadatail.ctm?d=9$71 4r2 uuu014 121913 Staduras and arenas use efficient, high xettage iambs - Today in Erer'gy- U.S. Energy trfr$n ation Administration (OOA) lamps work, restrike times are often longer than initial warm-up tunes and can take 5-20 minutes to achiere 90% brightness. According to the Lighting Research Center at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, some types of metal halide HID lamps use a different starting mechanism thatcan cut warm-up times down to 1-4 minutes and restrike times to 2-8 minutes. Comparison of various outdoor lighting types light output per lamp 31 ht cutput per urht er.e,ay diurnens per ;',att,r (thousands of lumens per lamp) high intensity discharge linear fluorescent compact fluorescent light -emitting diode (LED) halogen Incandescent 75 74 r 4.4 111 12 U 1.4 r 2.4 I 0 8 L 25 50 75 0 Source: U.S. Department of Energy Lighting Market Characterization, 53 10 2a vww.taia.godtodaynenerg}IdetaaI crrn'+&9671 2,2 12P9+13 Run w taste systems Tutorials, Tips & Tricks Marijuana Growing Run to waste systems Tutorials, Tips 6t Tricks Marijuana Growing fSearch_.. Search Run to waste systems Search this to !Search] 14 posts • Page 1 of 2 • by 2dogs » Mon Sep 18, 2006 12:11 pm Hi Folks, I've got a lot from PS so it's time to contribute. I haven't seen any tutes or even any threads on Run to Waste (RTW) systems so I will attempt a tute of my own, I believe that RTW systems are an excellent choice for the novice hydroponic grower to start on. That's not to say, they should only be done by the novice grower. RTW systems are good for novices and experienced growers alike. What is a Run Co Waste (RTW) system ,;.. A RTW system is where nutrients are not recycled. They usually use a growing medium that has similar moisture retention properties to that of soil. They retain a high degree of moisture for an extended period of time. This allows smaller feeds that are not as frequent as; for example a flood and drain system using expanded clay as a medium. Nutrient solution is added (either via hand watering or an automated system) until a small amount drains from the medium. The waste is then collected or drained away and never fed to the plants again. (Your vegetables or garden will love it, so it isn't really wasted after all) Advantages of RTW system There is no nutrient exhaustion or imbalances as the plant receives a fresh nutrient solution every feed. RTW systems offer ph stability compared to recirculating systems Nutrients are less prone to bacteria and pathogen problems. This is due to the fact that the root zones of each plant are isolated from each other. In a recirculating system if one root zone is infected you can bet the farm that they all witt be. Less maintenance Dependant on growing medium the root zone can be well insulated from heat. Moisture retention gives a degree of security in automated systems. Any experienced hydroponic grower will know how easily pump and equipment failures can result in failure. Recommended growing medium Although I have had great success with a pertite/vermiculite mix growing medium I have recently been converted to coca coir, Ensure that high- grade coco coir especially made for hydroponics is used. Cheaper brands can be high in sodium and require pre soaking before use. Note I am currently using coca coir made in Sn Lanka. I don't know if it is a good brand or not. It was the only brand available to me at the time. My hydroponic shop guy now stocks coca coir made by Canna. Next grow I will use that because I tend to trust Canna more than the other brand because I just trust the name more. 0 U U t 11) Rockwoot can be used but I would not recommend it, as it is prone to algae forming on the top and can promote stem rot. This is because rockwool tends to stay evenly saturated where moisture in coco coir www.merrjuarta9roikirtp.eutit rials•Lps-triolisircm-waste-systems-414951. srtl 114 1219113 ft ut -to-v ste hydroporrc systems Pots, Leach trays e 747..l /"Y71, t.EAmm MO Joy ROPONJCS Run -to -waste System (i.e. Soil culture) 'Run -to -waste" describes those systems where the excess nutrient or "nun-oir is not re -circulated. CunventiOnal 'soil culture' is a type of run-to•waste system. Media with a high water holding capacity are used (e.g, by 1, i?r; :•.v-.:,cti). Feeds are small ana infrequent. The 'run-off is either drained directly onto the ground (Fig 1,Sa) or is collected (Fug 1.50 & 1.4b). Collecting the run-off allows feed volume and frequency to tie calculated more accurately. This helps prevent under -dosing or over -dosing. It also allows the waste nutnent to be disposed of more responsibly. Feed volume and frequency is calculated so that the percentage run-off Is typically 10.20% (Table; 9-,$1,'), Irrespective of whether the nutrient is collected or drained directly onto the ground, plain water flushes are usually needed at frequent intervals through the same plumbing. This helps minimize salt build- up In the root zone and also helps keep the feed circuit free of blockages. System design is similar to sateli=te systems. Plants are usually seated in pots (Fig 1.4b & 1,5a) or lea& trays (Fig 1.510. rib 1 Sr a-0a+ralM ay14111. Irla. i.. rl,WWtl I,malrC,k+n air .y 0•'a1•te p+i"d 111111161412 "tand•watenng is Pie most basic form of rt.n•!o-waste. Avoid the hassle of hand watering by Instaaing a nutrient reservoir pump end tuner Advantages to run to waste systems - phi and EC of the nutrient feed solution is stable. • Plants receive fresh nutrient at each feed. - The use of media having high water holding capacity minimizes the risk of plant death In the event of nutrient pump failure. - in the event of root disease outbreak, there is Jess risk of cross contamination between pots or trays because the nutrient =s not recirculated. - Can be en advantage for higher salinity waters. Unlike recirculating systems, salinity does not b.rdd-up In the nutrient solution. Disadvantages to run to waste systems • intermittent feeding results in salt build-up at the root zone and the ttlrKioge or However, this can be minimized by periodic flushing with water. - Unlike recirculating systems, it can be difficult to control the nutrient's EC at the root zone, - High water holding capacity media are prone to water -logging and therefore aterings must be carefully controlled. This can be especially difficult when air temperatures fluctuate greatly. Over -dosing causes water- logging, disease and wasted nutrient. • Top•fed nutrient tends to channel downward through the medium where root density is lowest (r_si 1 6). - in commercial systems this practice is rapidly being outlawed Because the discarding of 'run-off' causes contamination of groundwater I n.t4c.r`a.i.7;+,'11C.M'i.i"._i-:il..t1 Related topic.. "System Design" ?p"n.iS I `an;;;Ei_tr. I Ste Coaynght O2002-20?9 i'la Worm Al. no -,is ^ese're5 Web Deveielmltnt ifr'OW( ('�Ienrasp, This ;rage vies test updated 23 nebrjary, IOU 0.1 r........ .,.,v'..,-. A�1 wwwflairform.cx*Tf1' ntslrtn_to_weste.hkm 111 Preventing pests and diseases in the greenhouse Measure and monitor run-off Irrigation must be based on the needs of the plant. Too much or too little water can contribute to pest and disease pro ferns, Always measure irrigation in volume not as a length of time the pump is on Run-off targets are a very simple and very useful way of working out the amount of irrigation to apply. Use EC and volume run-off targets. Measure daily. Collect the output of at least one emitter (feed) and the run-off from at least plant (drain) Measure the EC. pH and volume of both the feed and drain Use these measurements to calculate the run- off percentage. Keep a record of all the measurements This Preventing pests and diseases in the greenhouse fact sheet is part of a series designed to show basic irrigation practices for substrate hydroponics. Correct irrigation can significantly reduce costs and losses from pests and diseases and improve crop production For more information on irrigation in sutrsirate hydroponics contact your !col independent advisor These matenals were developed by NSW Department of Pnrnary Industries with the assistance of Horticulture Australia Ltd, through the national vegetable levy Fur mere intimation Jeremy eadgery-Parker NSW OCP0tYthlr PRIMARY IRO i15TRIEs Measure and record K. pit and volume C J -•EFAliw° Measure and record EC, PH - and volume sun -off percentage = Volume of run-off x 100 Volume irrigated For example, if the run-off voiurne is t 00ml anti you gave the plant (imgateri) 1 tele ft000ml}, the run -oil percentage is: Run-off % ; 0oo/1000 x 100 10% The da=y run-off percentage is calculated over the whole day `rowever. the day is usually divided in irrigation periods (for example Period 1, Period 2 and Period 3 or ealy. middle and late) and each period can have a different run-off target. Irrigation period Early (sunrise to mid morning) Middle lm d morning to mid afternoon) Late find afternoon to sunset) Whole day Run -oft target (% of rrigat►on) 0% 2©— 40% 5-10a% 209E if your target daily iunotf percentage is 20%, then for every litre of nutrient solution given to the plants, you would expect 200 mt in total to be collected as run-otf after the last rrngaton of the day. me rrfvreulton omuovc r ms akoiczol tee of vey&page ale u•Xlefstarci ri al r-.v tiall6r en en; Way 2rr?9i iVRe of On toLi-a asnewes n iwo l ttge ,tse<s a •volow or the neva to ensure 71ai J119 'Wen n(Y i t'tef rd./ n - u t and ro des . cu ecv al t-a wants! rn tom L"4 oncer' 7 Olin' at NSA ile/Zpli ' x P•nxvY Y-kslOss 711•P :Sr's ex erNent ;den t,U 018 • Measure and record EC, pH and volume Electrical conductivity (EC) EC value (mStcm) 10 units cf = 1 EC 6.0 -^ 4.0 — 3.0 2.0 — 1.0 — • ♦ O i o, Measure and record EC, pH and volume Crop Month Year 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 16 20 21 Z2 23 24 25 20 27 28 29 30 31 Clay of month ❑ Feed 5C ❑ Drain EC Ix • •s4C.Cw44•ru I..MM. .NIa1:.II Uut301 1?19113 Marijuana Cuit ic+YFurrciass tiffi1slDirt'.s Hydroponic - Wisriboaks, open looks tar anopen %rid Marijuana Cultivation/Fundamentals/Dirt vs Hydroponic Dirt vs Hydroponic This selection is very fundamental to how you will grow from here on in. That said, it is possible for a skilled grower to achieve similar results using either method. The myths surrounding this choice are many. There are those who claim that hydroponic (or hydro) bud has a bad, chemically, metallic taste or that soil grown marijuana isn't potent. Although there is plenty of bad tasting hydro and weak soil grown marijuana these differences arc caused by poor practices elsewhere in the growing process and not whether soil or hydro is used as the growing method. For instance, hydro growers arc often commercial growers who are trying to output as much marijuana in as short a time as possible. These growers do not take the time to purge and cure their plants at the end of the flowering cycle and after harvest. This is rumored to cause the bad taste. It is entirely possible to make this same error with a soil grow. Dirt Dirt carries a number of benefits and pitfalls. Dirt is easy to acquire and easy to maintain it is literally all over the }Found. Dirt allows you to mix your nutrients into the potting soil rather than having to carefully mix up nutrient solution with each watering. Dirt retains moisture for a period of days so if you go on vacation no special steps will be needed. Dirt buffers the roots ofa plant from nutrients and PTT fluctuations. This is both good and bad. When you add nutrients they are delivered slowly and it may take longer before the erects of doing this become apparent. It is very easy to over water in a soil grow. This is a common beginner mistake. You should always allow the soil to dry completely to the touch before watering again. This is needed to allow oxygen to get to the roots. The ideal PH for soil grows is 6.5 and can be taken by measuring the runoff when you water. The best way to maintain the Pll on a soil grow is to maintain the PH of the water you are using. This range allows the uptake of manganese. The utility of this nutrient in plant growth is debated but what is not debated is that manganese is not available to the plant at the ideal hydro PH. If a PH or nutrient imbalance occurs in a soil grow it may be corrected by flushing with lots ofwater or using a flushing agent such as clearex. In a pot it should be at Least three times the capacity of the pot. Outdoors in the ground you should flush with water thoroughly with a hose or bucket. Hydroponic T lydroponic systems range from very simple to very complex. Essentially the only thing that differentiates a hydro system from a dirt grow is that in a hydroponic system a solution of nutrients and water delivers all nutrients to the plant and the physical medium that the plant grows in is inert with no nutrient content. The advantage of hydroponic methods is that they provide more rapid nutrient availability to the plant. This allows the plant to drink as much nutrient as it Tikes and produces larger plants in a shorter period of time and smaller space. Popular methods include: Fib and Plow ;, 320 1,4 en 'At vation/F undarnantals}Dirs_vs Hkdroponc 1219/13 Marijuana Cultivation/Fundamentals/Dirt vs Hydroponic - Wilabooks, open boole for an open world An ebb'and flow system uses a timer to activate a pump that periodically floods the plants grow medium with nutrient solution and then drains the solution out. Often these system are designed using two plastic tubs, one sitting in another. The bottom tub contains the nutrient solution reservoir, the water pump, and an air stone (more oxygen means healthier roots) and the top tub or tray contains the plants. A single hole in the top tub allows the pump tubing into the tub, when the pump shuts off or in the event of a pump failure the water drains right back down the hole it came out of It is usually best to put another hole where it will drain down to the bottom tub at the highest level you want the water to reach. This prevents Boding. A system like this can run at different intervals depending on the grow medium you use but a common choice is 15min on and off cycles, or 30 minute on and off cycles. Be very careful with a system like this. Ifa pump failure is not detected plants can die in a very short time period. PH and Nutrient problems can be corrected in the reservoir without the need to fiddle with the plants themselves. Deep Water Culture Deep water culture is a very popular technique where one bucket is fitted into another. In the bottom bucket is placed an airstone (limewood or porous stone) and in the top bucket holes will be drilled to allow nutrient solution to flood the bucket to a certain level. The airstone provides oxygen to prevent the roots from rotting even though they are submerged. This is a very simple system to build but requires a pot for each plant. Correcting PH and nutrient problems is a matter of changing the solution and rinsing the plant medium with clean water. Nutrient Film Technique (NFF) Nutrient film technique involves plants potted so their roots dangle down into a thin film of constantly running nutrient solution. This technique can work well for large scale hydroponic growing operations but if the nutrient film is interrupted it can be devastating. A separate reservoir is maintained in this technique and it is not commonly used in practice. Aeroponic Aeroponics is a relatively new technique. A fine mist ofhighly oxygenated nutrient solution is sprayed onto the roots of the plant which are suspended in air rather than bound in soil or another medium. Wick/Flempy Bucket Wick systems and Hempy buckets are very similar. In a wick system a pot with medium has a wick placed down it that extends down into a reservoir and draws up nutrients via capillary action as they are needed or water evaporates. This is much like the way a lantern or wick lighter works, drawing flammable fluid up the wick to be burned until it is exhausted. The hempy bucket is named after the forum poster who claims to have developed it although the concept may date back further. A simple 2.5 to 5 gallon bucket has a 3/4 inch hole drilled about 2-2.5 inches above the bottom. Depending on the medium and size of the medium used it may not be needed but it is common to glue a piece of en.wildbod6.orgiwildlMarijuana Cultivation/Fundamentals/Dirt vs_Hydroponic 214 Ljuu021 12t9113 Marijuana Cultivation/Fundamentals/Dirt vs Hydroponic - Viii+iboo o, open bool6 for an open world plastic Screening over the hole on the inside of the bucket. This bucket is then filled with a mixture of perlite and vermiculite (popular mixes are 3 parts perlite to 1 part vermiculite and 1 part vermiculite to 1 part penile). The bucket is then watered with full strength nutrient solution every 3-4 days, you water until nutrient comes out the hole in the bottom. This flushes out any built up nutrient salts with every watering assuring that you have a perfect balance. A hempy is as simple as hydroponics gets and is capable of producing the same yields and quality output as other more complex hydroponic systems. Because it allowed to mostly dry between waterings and pulls nutrients up via perlite wicking the roots are very well oxygenated. Since fresh nutrient is added every 3-4 days there is no reservoir to become imbalanced. Although it looks like dirt the perlite/vermiculite medium is completely inert, it contains no nutrients and provides no PH or nutrient buffer. Plants can drink all the nutrient they want just as in other hydroponic systems. The hempy system has the advantage that because it is simple there are fewer mistakes to be made. Also important is the fact that the hempy bucket has no pumps of any kind that can fail without you noticing. Humpy buckets can be used in a greenhouse outdoors with no power at all. Like a soil grow the medium retains moisture so you can leave the bucket for up to a week with no adverse affects. The downfalls compared with other hydroponic systems are that plants must be moved one by one in buckets if moved. You also must water a hempy bucket by hand every 3-4 days and with a large number of plants that can become very labor intensive. For instance, for someone who could not carry a five gallon bucket filled with water a hempy installation of more than 3-4 plants would probably be unmanageable unless the water source was very close by, Because you flush out the nutrient solution and any unused nutrients in it every few days the hemp bucket also requires more nutrients than other hydroponic methods. Continuous Drip Sys tem Another popular technique is the continuous drip system. With a continuous drip a reservoir (often large outdoor garbage cans or 5 gallon buckets) are used with a pump to push nutrients and water through a hose. Some guerrilla growers don't use a pump because they don't have the pressure of a hose to actuate it. The hose will have holes or drip emitters placed at the base of each plant as to get the water right where its needed (the roots). Consideration and Pitfalls It is important with any hydroponic system to remember that there is no buffer. Plants will respond very quickly if there are no nutrients and/or water or the pH of the nutrient solution is incorrect. Roots need high oxygen levels or they will rot. And of course remember that plants need space to grow and should never be planted where their roots will intermingle. Ideal pH level with hydroponic systems is between 5.8 and 6.3 depending on the nutrients that are used, however a consistent pH of 6.0 is very common. The best way to handle a pH adjustment depends on whether you are using a reservoir or not. In a hempy bucket the best solution is to flood with nutrient that is corrected. This will push out the imbalanced nutrient. With a reservoir pH can be adjusted in the same manner as the water with a pH up and pH down solution. Retrieved from"httpi/en.wicibooks.org/w/index.php? title=Marijuana_Cultivation/Fundamentals/Dirt vs_Hydroponie&oldid-2558I52" en.wila boots.orglwits/Marjuana_CuitivationfFurxiamentalsfilrtvs_Hydroponic ll[ dO22 3/4 129113 Camabas tulueaL on - Mopeda. tho free a ycfopeda Cannabis cultivation From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia This article presents common techniques and facts regarding the cultivation of the flowering plant cannabis, primarily for the production and consumption of marijuana buds. Cultivation techniques for other purposes (such as hemp production) differ. A basic description of hemp cultivation can be found d in the US film Hemp for Victory. Contents • 1 Botany • 2 Cultivation requirements • 2.1 Growth medium • 2.2 Warmth • 2.3 Light • 2.4 Water • 2.5 Nutrients • 3 Stages of development • 3.1 Germination • 3.2 Seedling phase • 3.3 Vegetative phase • 3.4 Pre -flowering phase • 3.5 Flowering phase • 4 Outdoor cannabis cultivation • 4.1 Detection • 5 Indoor cannabis cultivation • 5.1 Supply of light • 5.2 Control of the atmosphere • 5.3 Popularity • 5.4 Housing damage • 6 Harvester drying and curing • 6.1 Drying • 6.2 Curing • 6.3 Hash • 6.3.1 Hash oil • 6.4 Brick weed • 7 Pests • 8 Advanced cultivation methods • 8.1 SOG • 8.2 SCRAG • 8,3 Hydroponics U ;U 0 0 ? 3 • 9 Genetics • 9.1 Selection of mother plants en.wlapeda.orgM414/Cannatis euihetion Typical dried cannabis flower compared to the size of a pack of cigarettes 1(22 12 13 Camais c d ion - Widpedia, the into enc ci opa • 9.2 Autoflowernig strains • 9.3 Feminized seeds • 9.4 Hybrid vigor • 10 Vegetative propagation (cloning) • 11 Waste products • 12 See also • 13 References • 14 Further reading • 15 External larks Botany See also: Cannabis Cannabis belongs to the genus Cannabis in the family Cannabaceae and includes three species, C. sativa, C. indica, and C. ruderalis (APG u system). It is typically a dioccious (each individual is either male or female) annual plant (lie period: April-Septernber).111121131 C. saliva and C. indica generally grow tall (some varieties reach 4 m) and their females start the production of flowers rich in THC (1% to 29%) as the season changes from summer to autumn. C ruderalis is very short, produces only trace amounts of THC and flowers independently of the photoperiod and according to age.01 However, commercial cross -bred hybrids containing both ruderalis, indica and/or sativa genes exist (usually called auto flowering), the "low rider" being the most fiimous. Cultivation requirements Cannabis needs certain conditions to flourish. Growth medium A flow crtug cannabis plant. Soil is required, except for cannabis grown with hydroponics or aeroponics • Sufficient nutrients —commercial potting soils usually indicate this as "N-P-K = x%-y%-z°/a" the percentages of the fundamental nutritional elements, Le., nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. Nutrients are often provided to the soil via fertilizers but such practice requires caution. • pH between 5.9 and 6.5. This value can be adjusted — see soil pH. Commercial fertilizers (even organic) tend to make the soil more acidic (decrease its pH). Warmth The optimal day temperature range for cannabis is 24 to 30 °C (75 to 86 °F). Temperatures above 31 °C and below 15.5 °C seem to decrease THC potency and slow growth. At 13 °C the plant undergoes a mild shock, though some strains withstand frost temporarrly.l4lt51161 Frost occurs when air temperatures dip below 0 °C (32 °F) and ice crystals form enwil6pedia.org;wila/Camauisculweti on 2f22 00002' 12513 Carnat*s cultiwtien • V Wpedia. the free encycloperia Light Light can be natural (outdoor growing) or artificial (indoor growing). Under artificial light, the plant typically remains under a regime of 16-20 hours of light and 4-8 hours of darkness from the germination until flowering, although the plant can use a full 24 hours of light without harm. There is an ongoing debate over the importance of the "dark period". It has,been shown that, when subjected, to a regimen of constant light without a dark,period, most types ofiflora, including Cannabis, will begin to showrsigns,of decreased photosynthetic response, lack of vigor, and an overall degrease in vascular deiielopm:nt. There is_na defined flowering "stage", unless you are discussing an auto-fowe~>g variety (Cannabs-Ruderalis). Typically, flowering is induced by changing the light -schedule to 12 hours of light and 12 hours of darkness. Flowering in cannabis is triggered by a hormonal reaction within the plant that is initiated by an increase in its dark cycle, i.e. the plant needs sufficient prolonged darkness for bractfbracteole 171 (flowering) to begin. Some Indica varieties require as little as 8 hours of dark to begin flowering, whereas some Saliva varieties require up to 13 hours. Water Watering frequency and amount is determined by many factors, including, temperature and light, the age, size and stage of growth of the plant and the medium's ability to retain water. A conspicuous sign of water problems is the downward wilting ofleaves.lgl Too much water can kill young cannabis plants. The additives in mtmicipal water can reduce plant growth and can be removed with reverse osmosis filtration but is expensive and produces poorer results than well or spring water. N utrients Nutrients are taken up from the soil by plants. Nutrient soil amendments (fnvrtiiizers) are added when the soil nutrients arc depleted. Fertilizers can be chemical or organic, liquid or powder, and usually contain a mixture of ingredients. Commercial fertilizers indicate the levels ofNPK (nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium). During the vegetative stage, cannabis needs more N than P and K, while during the flowering stage, P is more essential than N and K. The presence of secondary nutrients (calcium, magnesium, sulfur) is recommended. Micro nutrients (e.g. iron, boron, chlorine, manganese, copper, zinc, molybdenum) rarely manifest as deficiencies. Because Cannabis' nutrient needs vary widely depending on the variety, they are usually determined by trial and error and fertilizers are applied sparingly to avoid burning the plant.191 Stages of development Germination Fertilizer burn on a leaf Germination is the process in which the seeds sprout and the root emerges. In Cannabis it takes from 12 hours to 8 days. Warmth, darkness and moisture initiate metabolic processes such as the activation of hormones that truer the expansion ofthe embryo within the seed. Then the seed coat cracks open and a small embryonic root emerges and begins growing downward (because of gravitropism), if placed in a proper growing medium. Soon (after 2-4 days) the root is anchored and two circular embryonic leaves (cotyledons) emerge in search of light and the remains 3/22 en.wlapediaorgtn,faCarniia_csilhation 000025 12;9/13 Cannabis cultivation - % Miipecila the free encyclopedia of the seed shell are pushed away. This marks the beginning of the seedling stage. Germination is initiated by soaking seeds either between wet paper towels, in a cup of water at room temperature, in wet peat pellets, or directly in potting soil. Peat pellets are often used as a germinating medium because the saturated pellets with their seedlings are planted directly into the intended growing medium with a minimum of shock to the plant. Seedling phase The seedling stage begins when the seed coat splits open and exposes the root and round "seed leaves" or cotyledons. It lasts from 1 to 4 weeks and is the period of greatest vulnerability in the life cycle of the plant, requiring moderate humidity levels, medium to high light intensity, and adequate but not excessive soil moisture. Most indoor growers use compact fluorescent or T5 fluorescent lights during this stage as they produce little heat. HPS and MII lights produce large amounts of radiant heat and increase the rate of transpiration in the plant which can quickly dry out seedlings with their small root systems. The plant will naturally begin to develop identifiable sex characteristics in this stage after 4 to 6 weeks, but some growers will hasten this by switching to a 12/12 hour light period to induce flowering and, once sex is determined and the male plants are removed, returning the plants to the vegetation stage with an 18/6 hour light period. However, forcing a plant to flower and then return to the vegetative stage adds significant extra growing time and has been shown to produce lower yields and reduce potencies by a factor of2 to 3,[cirurion needed] so growers who wish to sex the plants as early as possible without these drawbacks take a clone of each seedling, root it, and force flowering in a separate growing area. Vegetative phase A young male cannabis plant during early flowering stage A very young C. sativa seedling. The tips of the first two true leaves are emerging between the two round seed leaves (cotyledons) Duration: 1-2 months indoors. In this stage the plant needs all the light (at least 18 hours) and nutrients (food) that it can use, depending on the genetics of the particular plant. It continues to grow vertically and produce new leaves. The sex is starting to reveal itself which is a sign that the next stage begins. Concurrently the root system expands downwards in search of more water and food. Some newly developed strains (auto flowering hybrids) omit the vegetative stage and pass directly from seedling to pre- flowering. When the plant possesses seven sets of true leaves and the 8th is barely visible in the center of the growth tip, or shoot apical meristem (SAM), the plant has entered the vegetative phase of growth. During the vegetative phase, the plant directs its energy resources primarily to the growth of leaves, stems, and roots. A strong root system is required for strong floral development. A plant needs 1 or 2 months to mature before blooming. The plant is ready when it has revealed its sex. Plant size is a good indicator of sex. Females tend to be shorter and branchier due to their raceme type inflorescence than males, whose flowers grow in panicles. The males tend to have fewer leaves near the top and females on.v.igpecia.orghsilvlCarnabis_CWtitiation 000026 121'9I13 Carrtat s W11%0110n- Wiapeda, the free enc,dopeda have.more leaves surrounding the flowers.[efxatran needed] The males are then usually culled when they are identited, so that the lenn+les will not be pollinated, thus producing "sin semilla" ("without seed") buds. During the vegetative phase, cultivators generally employ an 18- to 24-hour photo period because the plants grow more quickly if they receive more light, although a warmer and cooler period arc required for optimal health.leuf atran needetilAhhough no dark period is required, there is debate among cultivators as to whether a dark period is beneficial, and many continue e to employ a dark period. The amount of time to grow a cannabis plant indoors in the vegetative stage depends on the size of the I:iower, the light used, the size of the space, and how many plants are intended to flower at once, and how big the strain gets in 'the stretch" (ice., the first two weeks of flowering). Cannabis cultivators employ fertilizers high in N (nitrogen) and K (potassium) during the vegetative stage, as well as a complete micro nutrient fertilizer. The strength ofthe fertilizer is gradually increased as the plants grow and become more hardy. The modification ofa plant's growth habit is called training. Indoor cultivators employ many training techniques to encourage shorter plants and denser canopy growth. For example, unless the crop is too large to be extensively pruned, cultivators remove adventitious growth shoots, often called suckers, that are near the bottom of the plant and/or receive little light and will produce poor quality buds. Many cultivators also employ other techniques: Topping Is done by removing the top of the apical mcristem (dominant central stem), called the apex or terminal bud, to transfer apical dominance (the tendency for the apex to grow more rapidly than the rest of the plant) to the shoots emanating from the two nodes immediately beneath the pruning cut. This process can be repeated on one or bath of the two new nieristems, when they become apically dominant, with the same results. This process can actually be repeated almost infinitely, but over-di$usion of apical dominance produces smaller, lower quality buds, so it is usually done no more than a few times. Topping also causes more rapid growth of all of the branches below the cut while the plant heals. Pinching Pinching (also called super cropping) is similar to topping in that it causes lower branches to grow more rapidly, but the apical meristem maintain apical dominance, which is especially useful if the plant has already been topped. Pinching is performed by firmly pinching the apical meristem(s) so as to substantially damage vascular and structural cells but without totally breaking the stem. This causes lower limbs to grow more rapidly while the pinched tissue heals, after which time the stem resumes apical dominance. LSTing LST stands for Low Stress Training and is another form of supercropping, many times referred to as LST super cropping. This technique involves bending and tying the plants branches to manipulate the plant into a more preferred growth shape. This method of training works very well for indoor growers who need to illuminate their plants using overhead lights. Since light intensity greatly diminishes with increased distance (Inverse -square law) LSTing can be used to keep all growth tips (meristem) at the same distance from the light and can achieve optimal light exposure. LST can be used in conjunction with topping, since topping increases axial growth (side shoots). en.witapeda,orglwiiaCamabis cultnation U00027 12i513 Ceenetie ctltiretion • WNopedie, the free encyciopeda Topping is often done a few weeks before beginning LSTing. LSTing works by changing the distribution of hormones, more specifically Auxins, in the plant. LSTing resembles the training of grape vines into their support lattices. Outdoor gardeners also employ training techniques to keep their plants from becoming too vertical Pre -flowering phase Also called the stretch, this takes one day to two weeks. Most plants last for 10-14 days alter switching the light cycle to 12/12. Plant development increases dramatically, with the plant doubling or more in size. (See reproductive development below.) Production of inure branches and nodes occurs in this stage, as the structure for flowering grows. The plant starts to show bracts/bracteoles where the branches meet the stem (nodes). Pre -flowering indicates the plant is ready to flower. Flowering phase Duration: Varies from about 6 to 22 weeks with pure indicas having a shorter flowering time than pure sativas. Mixed indica/sativa strains have an intermediate flowering time. The sex is clearly revealed in the first two weeks of 12/12. Males produce little balls clustered together like grapes. Most plants (except auto flowering strains that flower independently of photoperiod) can flower under diminished light. In nature, cannabis plants sense the forthcoming winter as the Earth revolves around the Sun and daylight reduces in duration (see also season). If females are not pollinated (fertilized by male pollen) they start to produce buds that contain sticky white resin glands or trichomes in a final attempt for pollination by windbome male pollen. The trichomes produce resins containing the largest amounts ofTHC and CBD, the two main psychoactive substances. Fertilised females produce resinous trichomes but more plant energy is sunk into seeds, which can be half the mass of a fertilized inflorescence; thus, to maximize resin per gram, seedless cultivation is preferred. Buds of the first case are called sinsetnilla (it is really two words; "sin semilla," which translates to "without seeds" in Spanish, but is often misspelled as one word). Potent sinsemilla is especially important to medical users, to minimiaue the amount of cannabis they must consume to be afforded relief Cannabis with seeds is generally considered to be of inferior quality and/or grown with inferior technique. Indoors, cannabis is induced into flowering by decreasing its photoperiod to at least 10 hours of darkness per day. In order to initiate a flowering response, the number of hours ofdarkness must exceed a critical point. Generally the more hours of darkness each day, the shorter the overall flowering period but the lower the yield. Conversely, the fewer hours of darkness each day, the longer the overall flowering period and the higher the yield. Traditionally most growers change their plants lighting cycle to 12 hours on and 12 hours offsince this works as a happy medium that most strains respond well to. This change in photoperiod mimics the plant's natural outdoor cycle, with up to 18 hours of light per day in the summer and down to less than 12 hours of light in fall and winter.€Citation needed] Some 'senu-autof lowering' straits that have been bred exclusively for outdoor use, particularly in outdoor climates such as that of the UK, the plants will start flowering with as much as 16-17 hours of light per day. Usually they can start flowering in July and finish far earlier than other strains, particularly those that haven't been bred as outdoor strains. Because the weather in northern latitudes gets very wet and cold during October when many strains start to finish flowering, these semi-autoflowering strains give an advantage as they are far less likely to suffer from botrytis (grey eawkipeas.cfary.wcarnsasCultvatiOn E The budding flowers of a male cannabis plant 000028 12/9113 Cennatis csi halm - WIlipedia. the free encyclopedia mold) which is caused by wet weather. Alternatively growers may artificially induce the flowering period during the wanner months by blacking out the plants for 12 hours a day i.e. by covering the plants with black plastic for example, which excludes all light during this period so the plant can flower even during long days. Although the flowering hormone in most plants (including cannabis) is present during all phases of growth, it is inhibited by exposure to light. To induce flowering, the plant must be subject to at least 8 hours of darkness per day; this number is very strain -specific and most growers flower with 12 hours ofdarkness to be safe. Flowers from certain plants (e.g. cannabis) are called bract/bracteole, and are (with cannabis) the most paled part of the plant. In late flowering the bract/bracteole are easily visible to the naked eye. bractibracteole development begins approximately 1-2 weeks after the photoperiod is reduced. In the first weeks of flowering a plant usually doubles in size and can triple. bract/bracteole development ends around 5 weeks into flowering and is proceeded by a period ofbractlbracteole "swelling". During this time the buds greatly increase in weight and sbe.[4][51 Outdoor cannabis cultivation Cannabis can be planted outdoors under the sun, either on natural soil or in pots of pre -made or commercial soil Of course some strains are better than others for outdoor cultivation. One strain is not the same as the other and some is just more suitable for your garden than others. This can of course depend on different conditions, variables and aspects. Outdoor marijuana strains, like most other strains, can be bought basically anywhere and there are hundreds of different cannabis strains that are bred for outdoor growing or at least claimed to be so. A lot of these outdoor cannabis seeds are simply copies of other already existing strains or seeds and have just been given a different name or a nice and interesting sounding description.[cifation needed] To generate optimum quantities ofTHC-containing resin the plant needs a fertile soil and long hours of daylight. This means THC production for outdoor growth occurs optimally anywhere within 35° of the equator. Typical growing regions include Mexico, Nepal, Northern India, marry parts of Africa, Afghanistan, The United States and Australia. In most places of the subtropics, cannabis is germinated from late spring to early summer and harvested from late summer to early autumn. Outdoor cultivation is common in both rural and urban areas. Outdoor cultivators tend to grow indica-based strains because of its heavy yields, quick maturing time, and shortness. Some growers prefer sativa because of its clear-headed (cerebral) high, better response to sunlight, and lower odor emissions. Guerrilla cannabis plot in a forest clearing Aerial view of guerrilla cannabis plot One can cultivate on his own property or practice guerrilla farming i.e. plant cannabis in remote areas such as forest clearings or mountain cliffs and visit rarely. However, such a method is prone to ripoffs — so much so that some ingenious growers even attach pots to trees to decrease this possibiiity.l 'U] Guerrilla growing has given birth to the activist movement Operation Overgrow, where the plant is grown with the explicit purpose of introducing the cannabis plant into the natural ecosystem, en.tiufapedia orgAmiateannatis cul!ivaton 000029 7122 1VW13 Cannabis cltivaton - VAi4peda, the free encycicpet1a For outdoor cultivation, growers choose areas that receive twelve hours or more of sunlight a day. In the Northern Hemisphere, growers typically plant seeds in late May or early June to provide plants a full four months of growth. Harvest is usually between mid -September and early October. In North America, northern locations are preferred (North Coast ofCaGfornia and British Columbia being particularly notable), but southern locations (such as Maui, Hawaii) are also known to be good producers.(mar;on neededl Where local laws do not permit growing cannabis, cultivators sometimes grow in forests or rugged and rural areas where the local population is unlikely to find the crop. Cannabis is also gown hidden by a crop that is taller, such as n-kr i7e. This is reported by the United States government to be common in the midwestern states.[citation needed] Bamboo and elderberry are also used as camouflage companion plants.fr'tatinn needed] Some government agencies, including the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), have claimed that in State and National Parks people have been injured by cannabis farmers protecting their crops using booby traps; no arrests or convictions for this had been made as of 2007.[citation needed] Detection Often, simple camouflage techniques can avert detection, such as mixing cannabis plants with other bushy, leafy species. Plants started outdoors late in the season do not grow as tall, attracting less attention when placed next to plants of similar or taller stature. A common technique used by many outdoor growers is to place a potted plant in a hole in the ground —this can reduce a plant's height, reducing its visibility. Also, some growers top the plant when it is only 12 inches (30 cm) high, and row the two tops horrmntally along a trellis. Law enforcement agencies often monitor certain geographical areas, particularly areas of countryside with a significant history of outdoor cannabis cultivation. In helicopters, they use infrared cameras and other equipment in an attempt to "see" reflective signatures of the vegetation below. Cannabis has a slightly different reflectivity at certain wavelengths than other rural crops, such as corn. Law enforcement agencies have attempted to use technology to aid in the detection of outdoor crops because many growers hide cannabis among other plants, making detection with the "naked eye" difficult, even from the air. Most cultivation is therefore conducted indoors, either in greenhouses (in which other plants are often used to camouflage the plants), or in specific grow rooms or shelters. Indoor cannabis cultivation Cannabis can be grown indoors in a soil -like medium under artificial light, adding fertilizer when the plants are given water. Cultivating cannabis indoors is more complicated and expensive than growing outdoors, but it allows the cultivator complete control over the growing environment. Plants of any type can be grown faster indoors than out due to 24-hour light, additional atmospheric CO2, and controlled humidity which allows freer CO2 respiration. Plants can also be grown indoors through the use of hydroponics. Indoor Cannabis cultivation. ix,.tvhpetis.orgM+10Cannatxs_cutti. Unn 000030 12913 Cannabis cu6tiva4an - M sped a, the free aric lopeda To grow plants indoors, a growing medium (e.g. soil or growing substrate), water, ruttrients, light and air need to be supplied to the plant (with the exception ofacroponic cultivation, in which case a growing medium is not required). Supply of light To determine the appropriate lighting (and the best lamp to use), the specific needs ofthe plant must be considered, as well as the room sire and ventilation. To arrange optimal lighting, the lighting present in the plants natural environment must be imitated.[`itarion needed] Cannabis plants also require both dark and light photoperiods, so the lights need a timer to switch them on and offat set intervals. The optimum photoperiod depends on each plant (some prefer long days and short nights and others preferring the opposite, or something in between). Most plants grow under most light spectra, but always prefer a full spectrum light. A test done by Ed Rosenthal[cirarion needed) found that when a room was set up using both high pressure sodium (HPS) and metal halide (MH) lamps the plants in between the two lights did better than those under MH alone but not as well as those under HPS. However, certain plants (as cannabis) can be grown successfully under both types of light. MH is used for vegetative phase of growth, as it encourages short inter nodes (distance between sets of leaves), and inhibits cell elongation, creating a shorter, stockier plant. Metal halide lamps produce more ultraviolet radiation than high pressure sodium lamps, which may play a role in increasing the flowering (and for certain plants as cannabis the amount of working substances as THC) produced by the plant. High pressure sodium lamps trigger a greater flowering response in the plant and are thus used for the second (or reproductive) phase of the growth, or they are used by those people who only wish to purchase a single lamp.11 t] If high pressure sodium lamps are used for the vegetative phase, plants usually grow slightly more quickly, but also have longer inter nodes, and may be taller. Recent advancements in LED technology have allowed for diodes that emit enough energy for cannabis cultivation. These diodes can emit light in a specific nanometer range, allowing for total control over the spectrwn of the light. LEDs are able to produce all of their light in the PAR range. One major short coming of LED's remains their lack of intensity. Due to this lack of intensity LED is only able to excel at growing plants in the vegetative stage of growth, or when flowering with extremely small canopies (micro grows). LED grow lights are still considered an experimental technology in cannabis cultivation. Due to their high cost and low light output they remain unused by the commercial grower. The market remains flooded with cheap quality LED lights that do not produce yields comparable to what growers are accustomed to. Many companies are using single watt LEE) chips, which have notoriously produced low yields and wispy results. When considering purchasing any grow light, one should carefully examine both the spectrum and the intensity of the light. Reflectors are often used in the lamps to maximize light efficiency. Plants or lights are moved as close together as possible so that they receive equal lighting and that all light corning from the lamps fall upon the plants. Maximum efficiency can be obtained by creating a slightly concave canopy such that the periphery and center of the canopy are both at the optimum distance from the light source. Often, the distance between late and plant is in the range of 0.6 m (2 ft) with high pressure sodium lamps, to 10 cm (4 in) with other lamps, such as compact, large and high - output fluorescent lamps. With proper cooling any light type can be moved extremely close to plants to combat the inverse square law, but there are reasons to keep some distance from the canopy regardless of heat concerns; excessive light can cause bleaching of the plant material and the total canopy area contacted by light is decreased as the source is moved closer. Maximum efficiency should be obtained by maximizing the average light intensity (measured in PAR watts) per square foot times the number of square feet of plant matter contacted. Some cannabis cultivators cover the walls of their grow -room with some type of reflective material (often Mylar or Visclueen), or alternatively, white paint to maxi iZe efficiency. en. wi sdpedi a.or g hki W l C amabi s _cur G va4 on aU(J0031 12/91+13 Camaeis etithalion - iMkiped9a, the free enci,clopedie One ,commonly used covering is 150 prn (6 mils) PVC plastic sheeting that is white on one side and black on the other. The plastic is installed with the white side facing into the room to reflect light, and the black facing the wall, to reduce fungus and mold growth. Another common covering is flat white paint, with a high titanium dioxide content to maximize reflectivity. Some growers consider Mylar sheeting to be very effective when it lines grow room walls, along with Astrofoil (which also reflects heat), and Foylrn (a foil -laminated, reinforced fabric). Because of the inverse square law, however, and the distance the light must travel to contact the reflective material and then bounce back to contact the plant material, this efficacy is highly debatable. Control of the atmosphere When growing indoors, the cultivator should maintain as close to an ideal atmosphere inside the grow -room as possible. The air temperature should be maintained within a specific range, typically with deviations no larger than 10 °C. with a cooler night and warmer day. Adequate levels of CO2 must be maintained for the plants to grow efficiently. It is also important to promote vigorous air circulation within the grow room, which is usually accomplished by mounting an extraction fan and one or more oscillating fans. Assuming adequate light and nutrients arc available to plants, the limiting factor in plant growth is the level of carbon dioxide (CO2). Plants grown with supplemental carbon dioxide grow more quickly, have larger stomata (Pores), and can use more light. According to Ed Rosenthal, however, ambient heat in the grow room must be increased from 75 °F (24 °C) to between 80 and 85 °F (27 and 29 °C) in order to fully utilize the increased CO2 concentration (the increase in heat allows for a faster metabolic rate). Ways of increasing carbon dioxide levels in the grow -room include: bottled carbon dioxide, carbon dioxide generators, a milk jug and yeast solution (in which yeast grows in a container thereby emitting CO2}, a baking soda and vinegar mixture in a container, or dry ice [citation needed] Certain plants (e.g most strains of cannabis) emit a distinctive odor during their reproductive phase. This presents difficulties to those who are cultivating in places where it is &legal, or for growers who may prefCr discretion for other reasons. The most common way of eliminating odor is by pulling odorous air through a carbon filter. Many cultivators simply attach a large carbon filter to their air extraction system, thereby filtering any smell before the air is expelled from the grow -room. Another way of eliminating odor is by installing an ozone generator in the extraction ducting. The air is forced past the ozone generator by the extraction fan, and the odorous air is neutralized as it mixes with the ozone; however the cultivator must ensure that the air is thoroughly mixed before it is expelled outside, lest some odor escape. Care must be taken to prevent excessive ozone concentrations in the garden itself: or where it might be inhaled by the grower or his/her family. Ozone itself has a distinctive smell and is harmful to living things, although the molecule breaks down quickly (20 minutes to an hour) in atmospheric conditions. Indoors there are numerous configurations that people utilize to grow quality cannabis. Some growers will convert an entire room or closet, making it devoted to growing cannabis. A relatively new configuration involves the use of grow tents. These are plastic or metal framed tents which arc covered in a strong flexible reflective plastic and have light proof zipper doors. Tents come in all sizes and many already have holes for exhaust fans/ducting as well as mounts for HID lights. Some growers will construct grow cabinets made out of'an old refrigerator, cabinet, dresser drawer or similar. Popularity 030032 en VA pedia.orgNA/Cannabis cultratson 10122 1219/13 Cannabis cuib etion . Wiopedla. the free ency lopeda Indoor growing has become increasingly common over the past decade because of the increased availability of equipment, seeds and instructions on how to cuhivate. So-called grow-ops (growing operations, often located in grow houses) are seen by many marijuana enthusiasts as a much cheaper way to pain a steady, higher -quality supply of cannabis. On a larger scale they have proven a viable commercial venture, with some law enforcement agencies finding grow-ops large enough to yield several kilograms of cannabis. More expansive grow-ops are generally more susceptible to detection than smaller operations. Because individual grow light power generally ranges from 250 watts to 1000 watts or more and because the lights remain lit for a long time each day, differences in utility bill costs are a significant security issue, It is not uncommon for power companies to work with law enforcement if they see a significant increases in power usage relative to a household's previous electricity costs or if power is being stolen by bypassing the meter. Employing energy saving methods is a common way to alleviate this, for instance; switching off light bulbs when leaving rooms, purchasing energy efficient appliances, using TVs or computers less, buying lower power light bulbs and so forth. Some plants (e.g. cultivars of Cannabis saliva subsp. indica), can give off strong odors as they grow, resulting in detection of illegal growing operations. Growers frequently use carbon scrubbers and ventilation to control odors. This typically involves forcing air from the grow room through a device containing activated carbon, then venting it outdoors. Others use an ozone generator. Ozone reacts with odor molecules in the air, permanently eliminating them. However, ozone can build up to levels that may be hazardous both for grower and plant. As a last resort, keeping windows firmly shut and using strong air fresheners can control smells. Checking outside to see if any smells are emanating from indoors is often a necessary precaution, as many growers become acclimated to the smell, and fail to realize just how pervasive the odor may be. Many store plants in more isolated areas such as a basement or attic to prevent smell detection. Another less common solution is to simply grow a strain with a weaker odor. Storing plants and lights away from windows and areas that visitor may see is also common, as is keeping the plants in an attic or basement. Some growers, finding this impractical, may cover windows with light -resistant materials. This can solve the problem of escaping bright light but may arouse suspicion amongst neighbors and local residents. Many cultivators face the risk of fire. Fires normally originate from faulty electrical equipment or wiring. Shoddy fixtures and sockets, improperly grounded equipment, and overloaded circuit breakers are some of the most prevalent causes. Because of the large amount of electricity needed for Large-scale cultivation, old or damaged wiring is prone to melt and short. Some commercial growers steal power to hide electricity use, and many do not ensure that their wiring is safe. Many growers adapt light cycles so that the lights are on when they are home and off when they are away. Another fire hazard is plants making contact with hot HID bulbs. Growers using fluorescent bulbs with reasonable air circulation do not have this problem. Word of mouth can be as much a threat to growers as any of the above issues. Often, a few sentences ofconversation overheard can result in a tip-off and thus speedy detection. It is for this reason that many growers are reluctant to talk about their cultivation. Indoor cannabis plant during flowering o n. v.i lu peci a. or 0414 C a rrrabi s_ctd ti +yeti on 000033 1 1i'22 12r9v43 Housing damage For houses used as grow-ops, the interiors tray have received significant structural, electrical and heating system modifications not in accordance with applicable building, natural gas and electrical codes, such as overloaded existing electrical system or a bypass circuit to avoid paying for the electricity required to power the high intensity light bulbs and fans, disconnected furnace venting, or holes in floors and walls for increased airflow. These changes replicate warn, humid climates where hybrid plants flourish and produce high potency cannabis. Such modifications may result in considerable structural damage. Cukivation over a period of time may lead to moisture and toxic maid [12l[131 Cannabis Cuit;x on- W liped;a, the free excyclo{x .a Grow -op homes appear to be maintained in their normal fashion on the outside. Nonetheless, there are plenty of tell -tale signs, such as occupants often avoid their neighbors, a "beware ofthe dog" sign, and matted snow in the winter (because of the higher -than normal heating to cultivate these plants).l l41 One of the largest such examples was masterminded by a Markham, Ontario real estate agent, John Trac, who turned 54 rented houses into grow-ops. He was convicted and imprisoned, but his second -in -command, Jennifer Wu, remained at large. Electricity suppliers estimated the value of the electricity stolen and required that it be paid for before reconnecting tnouses.[ts1[161 Contractor and television presenter Mike Holmes said that while houses formerly used for growing cannabis could be bought very cheaply from banks or other owners, repairs and remediation could cost around $100,000 CAD, which may exceed price savings. Holmes noted that in one of his past jobs on Holmes on Homes, he and his crew gutted the entire house after discovering it was a grow-op.1171[tx1 In some municipalities, after the police raid a grow -op house they are required to contact the municipality to ensure that it is put back in good condition before being offered red for sale, while real estate agents and sellers may be required by law to disclose that the home had been a grow -op. Home inspectors routinely fail to detect tell -tale signs that a house had been used as a grow -op. Harvesting, drying and curing There may be different goats when harvesting a plant: • Seeds are harvested when fully developed and often after the accompanying buds have begun to deteriorate. • Hemp grown for fiber is harvested before flowering, • Cannabis grown fir cloning is riot flowered at all. When the goal is to smoke the harvest, a bud production focused cultivation (called sinsemilla) is performed. A typical indicator that a plant is ready to be harvested for smoking, is when 2/3 of the pistils have turned from clear or white to reddish brown. In general, harvesting consists of drying and curing. Curing is essential for the even distribution of moisture in the buds. • Dry: Buds left in well ventilated dark place • Cure: Buds stored in sealed bag and left in dark place A popular method is the following, with alternate curing and drying, such as: e n whpeclia.org.Wki/Cannahs_cultivaticri 00003. Close-up of a female cannabis bud in flowering stage. White triehomes can be seen coating the surface, which darken as flowering progresses. 1219 13 • Dry 24 hours • Cure6hours • Dry 12 hours • Cure 6 hours C a x atr s cuisi,alion . Vtitilepedia, the free encycsopeda and repeat until product is deemed ready. Usually, In 3-4 days buds are ready for consumption.) I9] Cannabis buds are typically harvested when fully ripe. Generally, ripeness is defined as when the white pistils start to turn dark yellow, orange, light to mid red, etc. and the trichomes, "crystals", barely begin to turn milky from clear. These trichomes can range from completely clear (generally deemed underdeveloped), to amberish-red. Ideally, professionals use a decent power magnifying glass, a brix meter to measure "sugar" content, and a microscope. The potential seed pods swell with resins usually reserved for seed production, thus improving the quality of the buds (called cobras, Spanish for "little tails'), which swell to form full "colas" (Spanish for "tails"). Harvesting slightly early will maximize the THC content. Harvesting later reduces the THC content and maximizes the sleep inducing effect desired by some medical users. D rying The plants are dried at room temperature in a dark space. It is actually optimal to keep the temperature between 60 and 70 °F (16 and 21 °C) because many terpenoids (molecules that are partially responsible for the psychoactive effects but also largely responsible for the odor of the plant) evaporate at temperatures beyond 70 °F (21 °C). This process can take from a few days to two weeks, depending on the size and density of the buds and the relative humidity of the air. t tumidity should be kept between 45% and 55% humidity. Higher humidity will create a mold and mildew risk, while lower humidity will cause the material to dry too quickly. If the plant material dries too quickly, some of the chlorophyll will fail to be converted to a different chemical form which will result in a sub -optimal taste and a harsher smoke when combusted and inhaled. Stable temperature preserves cannabinoids well Some believe flowers are hung by their stalks, allowing the internal fluids of the plant to remain in the flowers. Others believe the cut stem is simply a handy non -sticky place to hang the plant from Roots are removed, and when the stems in the middle of the largest buds can be snapped easily, the plant is dry enough to be cured. Drying is done in a dark place, as THC resins deteriorate if exposed to light and the degradation product CBN forms, significantly altering the cannabinoid profile of the dried flowers. Drying plants is not generally considered as that risky by novice indoor growers of cannabis who would like to assume that they have gotten safely to the end of their "grow" by the time they are harvesting their plants. However, generally speaking most will underestimate the sheer scale of odour produced cutting down ("cropping), moving and hanging plants to dry. Indoor growers in areas where cultivation is illegal may consider this an obstacle in their overall efforts as the first three days of drying produces very large amounts of discernable odour (organic molecules) which the grower hirmelVherselfmay be de -sensitised to. These will be evaporating and likely discernable to others anywhere in the vicinity of the general area. In populated areas consideration of containment & concentration (Le. filters) of odour molecules may be employed to reduce risk. In less populated areas with good air movement dissolution and dispersal techniques for odour management may be employed i.e. ventilation from high points such as a chimney or roof vents. Whatever method is to be employed, newbic growers in illegal areas would do well to not underestimate the sheer volume of organic molecules being dissipated into the air when harvesting or "cropping" grows. Curing enwliperia.orgrani/Cannatis cullivBbOn 00U035 1219113 Cannabis cultivation - Wilkpedia, the free encyclopedia The curing process continues breaking down sugars and helps develop taste and smoothness of smoke. Usually, the dried product is packed (not compressed) into airtight glass canning jars. Initially, the product is checked periodically (every few hours) to make sure it was properly dried and has not re -moistened itself After several days, when the product is dried to satisfaction, the jars are sealed off and opened just once a week. Curing is highly varied —the minimum is usually two weeks. Some growers even cure as long as six months, while others do not cure at all. As with tobacco, curing can make the cannabis more pleasant to smoke. For the same reasons as when drying, curing jars are stored in a cool, dark place. Failure to vent the jars causes moisture that leads to quick mold build up. A recent method of curing is called water curing. This method is quicker and can improve a lower quality product. Using this method, nutrients can be fed to the plants right up until they are harvested because the water flushes out harmful chemicals (such as the ones used to feed the plants) as well as proteins, sugars, pigments and some resins. This also increases the THC to weight ratio though many believe the finished product is not as attractive as using a standard dry and cure method. Tincture. Ethanol is used to extract cannabinoids from the cannabis plant (THC is soluble in alcohol). The extraction process takes longer, but results in an edible product. Cannabis sterns, leaves and buds can all be used. The resulting mixture can be eaten straight, mixed with food or even smoked. Many smokers prefer to dip cigarettes in the mixture, which allows them to smoke in public without detection. Contact with direct flame causes this liquid to lose its THC content, as THC vaporizes at 157 °C (315 °F) [20i Smokers usually heat the liquid and inhale the vapors through a straw. Hash Main article: Hashish Hash is a THC concentrate containing the extracted heads of the marijuana plant's trichomes that contain primarily all of the plant's psychoactive THC. The "trim leaf' (small leaves surrounding the flowers) are usually coated in a large amount of trichomes which are collected by various means to make hash. One simple method of collection is to separate the trichornes from the trim leaf using a basic screen; plant matter containing trichornes is run over or beat against the screen to separate the trichomes. Another method involves freezing the trim and then agitating it with ice to separate the trichomes, the mixture then is filtered through screen bags of decreasing screen sizes ranging from 25-200 dun which capture the plant matter and allow the trichomes to pass to the bottom bag where they collect into a wet paste. The paste is pressed to extract most ofthe water and pressed into cakes and dried. In a dry -ice sifting process the trim leaf is placed in a filter bag with dry ice and shaken to allow a very pure concentration of trichomes to pass through which can be kept as powder or pressed into cakes. Hash oil Main article: Hash oil Hash oil is an extract that is formed when a solvent, commonly including; butane, isopropyl alcohol, ethanol, hexane, or toluene, is used as a carrier to extract THC concentrations, the plant particulates are filtered and then the solvent is evaporate or purged away under vacuum. The resultant oil may have a high THC content (depending on the parent material) and is used in various cannabis -based products or smoked or vaporized as a concentrate. Delta 9 THC is strongly soluble in petroleum ether and less so in ethanol. Adding petroleum ether to the tincture will extract D9 THC, leaving water soluble chemicals in the ethanol (certain cannabinoids, proteins, chlorophyll, etc.). Butane is a more selective solvent which typically carries lower amounts ofplant matter resulting in a more pure 1 en.wiWpecfia.crgiviiilaCannabis cultivation 72 j6636 12/9/13 Ca rabis cutmmtion - W Idperfia. the free «1cyddopeda THC. Alcohol is less selective than butane, carrying other types of plant matter such as chlorophylls and lipids. resulting in a less pure hash oil, freezing the plant matter prior to making hash from alcohol can prevent some chlorophyll from being carried. Carbon Dioxide (CO2) has also been used to extract hash, but special laboratory equipment is needed since CO2 only functions as a solvent under high pressure. Brick weed Brick weed is a method of cannabis cultivation that consists in drying the bud for a short period and pressing it with a hydraulic press, compacting the whole plant (bud, stems and seeds) into a brick, hence the name brick weed. This cultivation method is mainly used in the top cannabis producing countries like Mexico and Paraguay where it is largely exported. Brick weed has a low THC level and less potent aroma and taste. Pests Paraguayan Brick weed known as Outdoor growers are likely to confront issues regarding pests. In any case (indoor or outdoor), experienced growers recommend caution when using chemical pesticides, for they may have toxic effects on the environment, the plants themselves and in turn cannabis consumers. As a general rule, experts mandate the deployment of pesticides clearly marked as "sate to use on food crops". Substances proven to induce little or no harm include: • Pyrethrins: Organic and very effective, although sometimes hard to find. Often expensive because of high production cost. • Azadirachtin: Meets most criteria to be classified as natural insecticide. Biodegradable, non -toxic to mammals. Usually cheaper and easier to find than pyrethrins. Indoor growers also have problems with pests, usually caused by the power or a pet bringing them in from the outdoors. ifcaught too late, eradication of many destructive insect species indoors may be impossible until all infected plants are removed from the space and sterilization methods employed. Advanced cultivation methods These methods include: Piedra. I. using a water or air -based growth medium (known as hydroponics and aeroponics respectively) 2. the use of homemade, organic composted fertilizers 3. training and trellising techniques such as Screen of Green (also known as SCROG), Sea of Green (also known as SOG) "Super cropping" and LST super cropping; and entire systems and methods such as the NIMBYno-dump method, Hempy Bucket, and the Krusty Freedom Bucket methods. Research into the production of cannabis for the drug Marinol and other more profitable and marketable forms of cannabis based medicines has further pushed the envelope of cannabis cultivation in all forms of laboratory, both public and private. The emphasis on advanced cultivation techniques, as well as the availability of hybrid strains (with names like Northern Lights, Master Kush, NYC Diesel), is believed to be a factor in the increase in the overall quality and variety of cornmercially-available cannabis over the past few decades. The Internet in particular has brought aRm;wpedia.aa 10Ca a: cult, «, 15122 000037 1219113 Cannabis c It bon-1Mlapeda. the free encyclopedia together widely diverse genetics from around the work! through trading and purchasing, However, well -grown heirloom strains (e.g. island sweet skunk, fruity Thai etc.) are used to produce I gram per watt harvest. SOG In contrast to the "Screen of Green" method, Sea of Green (or SOG) growing depends on the high density of plants (as high as 60 per square meter) to create uniformity in the crop. In this technique, which is often grown in hydroponic media, only the colas of the plants are harvested. Containers are used to enforce the geometric distribution of flowers and plant rraterial, as well as their exposure to lighting and atmosphere. Sea of green is popular with commercial cultivators, as it minimizes the amount of time a plant spends in vegetative stage, and allows very efficient light distribution, keeping the plants much closer to the lights than when grown to full size. SCRAG SCROG, short for SCReen Of Green, is an advanced training technique for cultivating Cannabis, mainly indoors. Closely resembles SOG (or Sea Of Green) with the difference being that SCROG uses extensive training to produce the same field ofbud effeet with only one plant. Medical growers may find this a helpful technique to maximize harvest if they are only allowed a certain number of plants. A screen such as chicken wire is hung over plants so that the tips of branches are kept at the same level. This allows even light distribution to all of the nodes/bud sites, Once the flowering stage begins, the flower tips reach through the wire and are at relatively equal distances from the light source. Vegetative state: The plant should remain in the vegetative state until 70 to 80 percent of the net is full. As a branch reaches three to four inches above the wire it is pulled back under the wire and so trained to grow horizontally until flowering. Because of the amount of plant required to fill the net, the vegetative period may require longer than normal to be ready for flowering. Timing: Timing is vital to the success of a SCROG grow. If the net is not full at harvest, valuable space has been wasted. If the net is too full then the buds will be too crowded to develop properly. Knowing how a plant grows can help to visualize when to flower for maximum effect. Hydroponics Main article: Hydroponics Hydroponic cultivation generally occurs in greenhouses or indoors, although there is no practical obstacle to growing outdoors. In general, it consists of a non -soil medium exposed to a nutrient and water flow. There are many types of hydroponic systems. If the nutrient solution floods the loose growing medium and recedes for aeration, this is an ebb and flow orfiood and drain system. Systems that gradually drip solution onto the medium are drip systems. Systems that intermittently spray roots floating in air are called aeroponic systems. Ifaerated water runs down a channel lined with a film of rooting medium, this is a nutrient film technique system. A series of tubes intermittently running high flow nutrient solution into the tops of growing containers use a top feed system. Aquaponics, another growing method that is gaining popularity, Example of a small hydroponic system for cannabis cultivation en.wilipedlaorgMrld/Cannabis cuLtRenon 000038 1219/13 Camabis cut buabon - Widpedia. the free encydopeda employs the use of fish water and recirculates that water from the fish holding tank to the growing bed. Hydroponic systems greatly increase aeration ofplant roots, and increase control ofnutrient uptake. Hydroponic systems are decidedly more difficult to operate for the amateur or hobby grower, as over -fertilization is common, because there is no soil to act as a nutrient buffer. For this reason, many growers now use coconut fiber as a soil- less medium because of its high drainage and buffering capabilities that make it almost inpossble to over -fertilize. Additionally, if a hydroponic system fails, the crop has a high probability of dying as the roots rapidly dry out (this is especially true ofaeroponic systems). There is now a new breed of hydroponic configurations such as the Omega Garden, the B-Pod and the EcoSystem Vertical Growing System that use circular designs to maximize efficiency. This consists of plants being placed or, in the case of the Omega Garden, revolving around a central light that makes maximum use of the light output. Genetics Selection of mother plants An important factor while cultivating photoperiod independent (non-autoflowering) cannabis is selecting the best genetics for one's crop. This is frequently done by selecting one or more known strains, or strains with preferred genetics (in the case of cannabis, one might use seeds from a batch that was particularly enjoyed), and then growing a number of the seeds to find out which exhibit the characteristics most desirable to the cultivator. These genetics should typically yield at least 1 gram per watt per month of flower. Plant characteristics generally selected for include: • Overall yield • Time to fruition • Resistance to pests • Geometric traits (uniformity, compactness, flower density, etc.) • Color • Flavor and/or aroma • Appeal to end buyer (known as 'bag appeal") • Psychoactive qualities • Trichome density and type (stalked or sessile) Autoflowe ring strains Autoflowering cannabis strains, also known as day -neutral cannabis are a relatively new development for the home cultivator. These autoflower strains are usually crosses that contain high percentages of well known photoperiod strains and contain only the autoflowering characteristics of C ruderalis. The plant produced from an autoflowering seeds will transition from a very short vegetative period, usually 2 to 3 weeks from gemination, into flowering regardless of photoperiod. The result is that no separate vegetative and flowering lighting environment are needed. Flowering is dependent on the plants age not the time of year or ratio oflight to dark hours. Autoflowers will finish from seed in 12/12, 18/6, 20/4 or even 24/0 lighting. The new thing on the market of comnrrcial Cannabis cultivation are autoflowering Strains. By crossing of the Cannabis ruderalis with c. sativa and c. indica strains many cultivators have created hybrids with properties from both sides of these families, en.w0apedia,orgtvio/Carnahis tuivotien 000039 17/22 12/9113 Cannabis cultivation - Wikpedia, the free encyclopedia The first 'autoflowering cannabis seed' which came on the market was the Lowryder #1. This was a hybrid between a cannabis ruderalis, a William's Wonder and a Northern Lights #2. The genetics of the ruderalis was still highly present which made for a very low yield and little psychoactive effect. After many years of autoflower inbreeding seed makers have now come up with SUPER autoflowering strains that can produce yields close to the regular strains and still are flowering independent from the light cycle. The first SUPER autoflowering strains came from breeder STICH but now almost all major seed companies have their strains of super autoflowers that can grow up to 2 meters and produce yields up to 900 g/m2 of growth. Feminized seeds Instability of gender is a desirable trait in the wild, where reproduction is the most urgent goal In cultivation, gender predictability is more helpful, because female plants that have not been pollinated are the most productive. It is possible to use a combination of cloning and "shocking" plants to get them to produce feminized seeds that reliably produce female offspring. A clone retains the same sex throughout its life, so the clone of a female plant is also female. Environmental stresses sometimes create pollen bearing male flowers on female plants —known as hermaphroditism or ' hermying. A method used by organic growers and promulgated by the Cannabis breeder Soma, is called 'Rodelization, or letting un-pollinated female plants live several weeks longer than the normal harvest time. In such plants a hermaphroditic trait self -expresses in an effort to continue the genetic line. Some vendors of feminized seeds assert that hermaphroditic "parents" do not create reliable feminized seeds, since the offspring may retain this tendency. Others believe that this method utilizing auto -hermaphroditic traits is offset by grower observations that the tendency to auto -switch sex is not great in plants grown from seeds made this way, and that it occurs naturally without effort on the part of the cultivator. Colloidal silver (commonly abbreviated CS) suppresses ethylene production in bud sites, stimulating male characteristics. Spraying selected leaves, branches and — in cases where a large amount of seed is desired — whole plants with colloidal silver solution has become a preferred method of obtaining feminized seeds. Most plants treated with CS will turn intersex within 2 weeks of triweekly treatment, producing viable pollen within 4. Gibberellic acid has also been used for the same purpose, but it is harder to find than colloidal silver and can be difficult to dissolve into solution. One method of obtaining colloidal silver utilizes a small direct current power supply and two pieces of solid silver jeweler's wire, or silver coin.lciratron needed] Some cultivators claim that the genes responsible for hermaphroditism are present and may be expressed under stress from any of the above methods and that once expressed, this characteristic passes to seeds regardless of what activated it. This view, in large part, is incorrect, as a random half of the genes present in each of the parental plants passes to the next generation, regardless of whether the genes that contribute to hermaphroditism were induced by stressors or not. This widely accepted Mendelian model of inheritance (Mendelian inheritance) does allow for genetic mutations that have occurred in the germline (Germline) of an organism to be passed on to any offspring, but this process applies to all DNA sequences, not just those contributing to hermaphroditism The inheritance of acquired characteristics (Lamarckism) that are not directly coded in the DNA sequence (Epigenetics) has recently received much attention in the area of genetic research and could possibly explain any anecdotal evidence for increased hermaphroditism in the offspring of plants induced to a hermaphroditic state. However, a more likely explanation is that by propagating plants easily induced to hermaphroditism by environmental stressors, en.wildpedia.orgMild/Cannabis_culii etion 000040 18/22 12/9113 the frequency of genetic elements contributing to this trait is increased by artificial selection following traditional genetic models of inheritance. Some theories suggest it is possible to selectively breed hermaphroditic cannabis to express the female flowering before the male flowering occurs, though this kind of selective breeding is beyond the capabilities of most cultivators. Cannabis cultivation - wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Hybrid vigor When crossing two strains of cannabis (or two of any plant), the resultant hybrid may possess what is called hybrid vigor. In general, this produces a plant that is healthier, stronger, or quicker growing than its predecessors. Sometimes, in the case of a plant that has been brought back from fruiting (fruition, as mentioned above), it may be beneficial to cross it back with another (close) relative, in the hopes that it becomes invigorated. Caution should be exercised, as one does not always attain a beneficial cross with hybridizing. Vegetative propagation (cloning) Like most plants, cannabis has the potential for vegetative propagation, with the most common and simple method being cutting. Cutting is characterized as a cloning method, since the derived plants have identical DNA to the "mother plants". [citation needed] Under appropriate environmental conditions, a cut part of the cannabis plant, typically from the main stem or a lateral branch, has the ability to produce roots and develop into a whole new plant (the clone), genetically identical to the mother. In cannabis, the production of roots may take anywhere from 5 to 21 days. The oldest method of cannabis propagation is water cloning. Used for nearly as long as agriculture has been a part of human development, one simply sticks the cut end of clone (cutting) into a small body of water like a glass or bowl and waits. Water cloning can take longer to show roots, but is a truly natural way to propagate any plant that is able. Marijuana growers often root clones in peat pellets (compressed peat moss) or in rock wool. Another technique that has become popular for rooting clones is aeroponic cloning. The main steps of hormonal cannabis cutting are as follows: 1. Part of the main stem or lateral branch up to 20 cm long is dissected in a non -vertical manner. The bottom 2/3 of leaves are removed. 2. The cutting is brought to contact with rooting hormone, according to instructions, to promote root growth and inhibit fungal infection.. 3. The cutting is placed in an appropriate initial medium such as common soil, compost, perlite, vermiculite, peat moss, sand, rock wool, oasis foam or a combination of those. The initial medium is kept moist and high humidity is maintained in the surrounding air. Elevated humidity levels slow the transpiration rate (water loss from leaves) and prevent the cutting from drying out. Mold is a common hazard due to the higher humidity and stressed cutting. During this phase, the temperature is kept relatively low (25 °C (77 °F)) and direct light is avoided so that the cutting does not dry out. The production from the slower photosynthesis is put into root production. 4. After initial root development is evident (usually within three weeks) the cutting is ready to be transplanted into its final grow medium The high humidity environment is no longer necessary. 19/22 en.w,ipedia.org/wiIa/Cannabis_cultivation 14 9.13 Camet s cultooaturi-lapeda, the free enclopedia "Blueberry" cannabis Trimmed with stem re- New clones under cuttings waiting to be cut at 45 degree angle improvised humidity trimmed and re -cut. below a node. domes. Waste products Prior to the establishment of the first legal cannabis market in Washington, United States, growers of the plant in the American state experimented with the use of cannabis waste for pig food. In early 2013, potent cannabis waste products were mixed into the feed of four pigs during the last four months of their lives, resulting in a weight increase of20 pounds (9.1 kg) to 30 pounds (14 kg) that was registered before the pigs were sent to slaughter in March 2013. The American state's draft regulations prescribe that cannabis waste must be "rendered unusable prior to leaving a licensed producer or processor's facility," and adds that mixing it with food waste is acceptable. The European Food Safety Authority reported in 2011 that "no studies concerning tolerance or effects of graded levels of THC in food -producing animals haw been found in literature." The agency also noted that "no data are available concerning the likely transfer of THC ... to aninral tissues and eggs following repeated adnninistration."l2 1 l See also • Cannabis strains • Autollowering cannabis • Grow house • Hemp • Hydroponics • Legality of cannabis • Medical cannabis • Organic farming • Vertical hlrrning References I, A Cannabis sativa L. — Encyclopedia of Life(httpl/www.eol.urg/pages1594919). > ol.org. Retrieved on 7 August 2011. 2. ^ American Journal of Botany (2004). "A chemo taxonomic analysis of cannibalized variation in Cannabis (Cannabaceae)(httpllwww.amjbot.org/cgi/content/fu1V91/6/966). American Journal of Botany 91 (6): 966-975. doi:10.3732/ajb 91.6.966(httpl/dx.doi.org/10.3732%2t'ajb.91.6.966). PM1D 21653452 (/Iwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21653452). Retrieved 8 October 2006. i A Cowan Prnncf !I01c1. "Amarinwn (oe and Onesonianinc nrnh1n, ,n ("annohic• Crianrn nnri camonIi, '' en,wiiipeciaargooticannetis ciithation ,, l,' 12/9113 Cannabis cultivation - WiIOpedia, the free encyclopedia J. Lilllffll, Ll u4.a4 I_SJ JJ). (1111 V114 iUt W77 f111U 4111. .�rVV14J �JiVYl4lif tll ✓Hill llAVlD. J4 wl1VV Haltl 04111Ni1ltt.J (http://web.archive.org/web/20050419110112/http //www.unodc. org/unodc/bulletin/bulletin_ 1975-01- 01_3_page002.htmi). Archived from the original (httpJ/www.unodc.org/unodc/bulletin/bulletin_1975-01- 01_3_page002.html) on 19 April 2005. Retrieved 8 October 2006. 4. A a 6 c Greg Green (2001). The Cannabis Grow Bible (4th ed. ). p. 47. ISBN 1-931160-17-1. 5. A a b Jorge Cervantes. Marijuana Horticulture (5th ed.), ISBN 1-878823-17-5. 6. A The Marijuana Grower's Guide (1998) by Mel Frank and Ed Rosenthal, typed by Ben Dawson, revised 1992 7, A The inheritance of chemical phenotype in Cannabis sativaL. (III): variation in cannabichromene proportion E. P. M. de Meijer, K. M. Hammond, M. Micheler. Received: 21 April 2008 / Accepted: 7 August 2008 / Published online: 23 August 2008, Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2008 development 8. ^ "Greg Green" The Cannabis Grow Bible, 4th edition (2001), page 153,154 9. A "Greg Green" The Cannabis Grow Bible, 4th edition (2001), page 164 10. ^ "Marijuana found growing in trees" (httpJ/www.abc27.com/story/13273107/marijuana-found-growing-in-trees- in-york-county). abc27.com. 2010. 11. ^ toon (1 July 2008). "Cannabis Growing Guide Part 2 - Grow lamps" (http://www.alb2c3.com/drugs/mjgrow4b,htm#A06). Alb2c3.corn. Retrieved 16 March 2009. 12. A "Houses suffer damage from grow -op activities" (httpi/ww w.canada.c om/saskatoonstarphoenix/news/loc al/story.htm l?id=46d 17735-c 705-436c-abdd- 5626ce4d2f59). The StarPhoenix (Saskatoon). Retrieved 28 April 2011. 13. " Harvey, Ian (May 2005). "Grow Ops-An Inside Look" (httpi/replay.web.archive. org/20050415051452/httpJ/www.readersdigest.ca/mag/2005/05/pot.html). Reader's Digest. Archived from the original (http//www.readersdigest.calmag/2005/05/pot.html) on 15 April 2005. Retrieved 28 April 2011. 14. A Niagara Region Police Service Marijuana Home Grow Operations (http:l/www.nrps.com/community/rnarijuana.asp). Nrps.com (2009-01-01). Retrieved on 7 August 2011. 15. A Goddard, John (22 December 2009). "Real estate agent jailed, fined M for grow -op scheme" (httpi/www.thestar.com/news/gta/article/741908--real-estate-agent-jailed-fined-1 nn-for-grow-op-scheme). The Star (Toronto). Retrieved 28 April 2010. 16. ^ Small, Peter (5 May 2009). "Grow -op king duped 54 homeowners" (http'lwww.thestar.com/News/GTA/article/628985). The Star (Toronto). Retrieved 28 April 2010. 17. A "Grow Op Cover Up" (httpi/www.cbc.ca/marketplace/2010/grow_op_cover_up/main.html). CBC News. 18. A [1] (httpJ/www.nationalpost.com/homes/story.html?id=2417489) 19. A Ready - Set - Grow (High Times Marijuana Growing Instructional Video) 20. A "Cannabis and Cannabis Extracts: Greater Than the Sum of Their Parts'?" (httpi/www.omma1998.org/McPartland-Russo-JCANT%201(3-4)-200I .pdf). haw orthpress.com. 21. A Jonathan Kaminsky (20 May 2013). "Marijuana waste helps turn pot -eating pigs into tasty pork roast" (http'/www. renters.com/article/2013/05/20/us-usa-marijuana-pigs-idUSBRE94J0PL20130520). Reuters. Retrieved 26 May 2013. Further reading ■ Cervantes, Jorge (2001). Indoor Marijuana Horticulture. Van Patten Publishing. ISBN 1-878823-29-9. • Cervantes, Jorge (2006). Marijuana Horticulture: The Indoor/outdoor Medical Grower's Bible. Van Patten Publishing. ISBN 1-878823-23-X. • Clarke, Robert Connell (1981). Marijuana Botany. Berkeley: Ronin Publishing. ISBN 0-914171-78-X. • Green, Greg (2003). The Cannabis Grow Bible. San Francisco: Green Candy Press. ISBN 1-931160-17- 1 ■ Herer, Jack (1998). The Emperor Wears No Clothes. Ah Ha Publishing. ISBN 1-878125-02-8. • Starks, Michael (1990). Marijuana Chemistry: Genetics, Processing & Potency. Ronin Publishing. ISBN 0-914171-39-9. en.wilapecia.orglwildlCannabis cultivation 000043 12/9/13 Cannabis cultivation - Wildpedia, the free encyclaped a External links • Marijuana Farms: A Primer(httpi/www.Iife.com/gallery/31072/marijuana-farms-a-prirner#index/0) — slideshow by Life magazine • Cannabis cultivation (httpi/www.dmoi.org//Recreation/Drugs/Cannabis/Cultivation//) at the Open Directory Project Retrieved from "httpJ'en.wikipedia. org/w/index,php?title=Cannabis_cultivation&oldid=585204577" Categories: Cannabis cultivation • This page was last modified on 9 December 2013 at 00:25. • Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License; additional terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Wikipedia® is a registered trademark of the Wikirnedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization. en.wi ld pedi s. or g ivA /Cannabis _c ul tl vati on 000044 MEMORANDUM TO: Pitkin County Board of County Commissioners THRU: Cindy Houben, Community Development Director FROM: Lance Clarke, Assistant Director RE: DATE: December 18, 2013 LAFKLC, LLC (Radtke) Activity Envelope and Site Plan Review with Scenic Review and Flexibility for Agricultural Support SUMMARY: The Applicant is requesting approval to construct up to 19,000+1- square feet of greenhouses and supporting buildings on a lot that is developed with a single family residence, an Employee Dwelling Unit, tack shed, and garage. APPLICANT: Green Essentials Medical, LLC (Ron Radtke) OWNER: LAFKLC, LLC REPRESENTATIVE: Ron Radtke LOCATION: 2520 Lower River Road, Lot 6 Aspen River Valley Ranch ZONING/LOT SIZE: AR-10/38+1- acres. The Lot is conforming in size. 2010 AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHY: The parcel is highlighted in orange on aerials attached to this memo. BACKGROUND/EXISTING CONDITIONS: The parcel is shown in the boundary configuration identified above in the 2010 aerial photo, highlighted in orange. The property is currently developed with a single family residence built in the late 1970s, two detached accessory structures, and an Employee Dwelling Unit; all accessed by a driveway directly off Lower River Road. Total existing floor area on the property is in the range of 6,000 sq. ft. The neighborhood in the vicinity of the subject property consists of large lot single family homes with accessory barns, corrals, and other agricultural outbuildings. Agricultural operations are primarily pastures, haying, and horse operations. PREVIOUS BOCC ACTIONS: The Board considered this application at a public hearing on November 6, 2013. The item was continued to this date, December 18, 2013, to allow the Board to conduct a site visit. The site visit, with Applicants, Board, and public took place on November 21, 2013. The only "new" materials received by staff since the November 6, 2013, hearing are letters from attorneys Jody Edwards and Matthew Ferguson, from Sharon Cole, the Snowmass/Capitol Caucus, Gary Feldman, and the Woody Creek Caucus, and materials on the greenhouse designs and ventilation systems handed out by the Applicant at the site visit. All these items are attached, along with staff's original memo. PROPOSAL: Page 1 of 2 OUA@1 The Applicant is requesting to retain the existing single family residence, the CDU and garage and to construct up to 19,000+/- square feet of additional floor area to support an agricultural operation for growing plants for medical marijuana. The County has determined that such use is "agricultural". The proposal is for 18,000 sq. ft. of greenhouses in two separate pods with three accessory structures for mechanical and storage. The greenhouse pods are referred to as Phase I and Phase II, though they are both proposed to be constructed within a year. The structures are clustered on the west side of the parcel adjacent to the residence and CDU (see aerial). RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends that the Board of County Commissioners make a finding that the scale and size of the requested floor area of 19,000 sq. ft. for the greenhouses and ancillary structures is not in concert with the request for Flexibility for Agricultural Support, the Scenic View Protection Area, and the applicable Master Plan and that 9,600 square feet is appropriate at this time. Staff further recommends that the Board of County Commissioners adopt a motion to approve the LAFKLC, LLC Activity Envelope and Site Plan Review, and Flexibility for Agricultural Support, subject to the attached draft resolution. ATTACHMENTS: A. Draft Resolution B. Letters C. Materials from Applicant D. November 6, staff memo Application provided separately Staff Memorandum' Page 2 of 2 J2 Proposed Greenhouses in Red Roaring Fork ;giver Proposed Greenhouses in Red ‘Tvilogft Roaring Fork River RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF PITKIN COUNTY, COLORADO, GRANTING APPROVAL FOR THE LAFKLC, LLC ACTIVITY ENVELOPE AND SITE PLAN AND REQUEST FOR FLEXIBILITY FOR AGRICULTURAL SUPPORT BOCC Resolution No. -2013 Recitals l . LAFKLC, LLC, through Green Essentials Medical, LLC (Ronald Radtke) ("hereafter the Applicant") has applied to the Pitkin County Board of County Commissioners ("BOCC") for Activity Envelope, Site Plan Review, and Flexibility for Agricultural Support for the following activities: • Construct two new greenhouse modules and ancillary support buildings that total approximately 19,000 square feet of floor area. 2. The subject parcel is located at 2520 Lower River Road, Lot 6, Aspen River Valley Ranch. The lot is approximately 38 acres in size and is conforming in the AR-10 Zone District. The parcel contains a single-family residence, employee dwelling unit, garages and other accessory structures. (Legal Description, Attachment A). 3. Activity Envelope/Site Plan Review and a request for Flexibility for Agricultural Support are an Administrative Review and decision by the Community Development Director pursuant to Chapter 2 of the Code. The application garnered significant public interest both from neighboring property owners and the applicable Caucus. Pursuant to Section 2-30-20(i)(1)(a), the Community Development Director referred this application to the BOCC for review and decision. 4. The BOCC heard this application at a duly noticed public hearing on November 6, 2013, at which time evidence and testimony were presented with respect to this application. A site visit with the Board, the Applicants, and the public was held on November 21, 2013. The board considered the item again at a continued meeting on December 18, 2013. 5. The BOCC finds that the proposal demonstrates compliance with Activity Envelope and Site Plan Review, and with alterations to the Site Plan, can be found in conformance with the standards set forth in Chapter 7 of the Code. 6. The BOCC further finds that the scale and size of the requested floor area of 19,000 square feet for the greenhouses and ancillary buildings for a medical marijuana "grow" operation is not in concert with the request for Flexibility for Agricultural Support in that the size and scale does not sustain the rural character of the County, particularly the Woody Creek area, and a reduced amount of floor area would be more in harmony with the intent of the existing AR-10 Zone District, the Scenic View Protection Area from Highway 82 and Lower River Road, and the Woody Creek Master Plan. 7. The BOCC further finds that the pursuant to Scenic and Rural Character Guidelines in Chapter 7, there is the ability to reduce the intensity of the development and lessen the impact to the Scenic View Protection Areas. To more closely align with these Code sections, the BOCC finds that 9,600 square feet is appropriate for the greenhouses and the ancillary buildings that will support the agricultural operation. Resolution No. Page 2 of 7 -2013 NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED by the Pitkin County Board of County Commissioners that it hereby grants approval for the LAFKLC, LLC Activity Envelope, Site Plan Review, and Flexibility for Agricultural Support subject to the following conditions, which shall run with the land and be binding on all successors in interest: 1. The Applicant shall adhere to all material representations made in the current or prior applications or in public meetings or hearings and shall consider those representations to be conditions of approval, unless amended by other conditions. 2. Prior to submission of any future permit applications, the Applicant shall be required to submit for approval by the County Attorney and Community Development a Site Plan with an Activity Envelope in accordance with Land Use Code Section 2-30-20(g) and Application Manual Section 2.1.12. Recording of the final Site Plan is a condition precedent to issuance of any future permits for development work on the Property. 3. New greenhouse(s) and new ancillary agricultural buildings that support the operation are limited to 9,600 square feet and buildings shall be not more than 18' in height, as measured to the ridge of the roofs. 4. At building permit submittal, the Applicant shall submit a draft covenant against the property for review and recordation by the Community Development Director and County Attorney that limits the use of the new 9,600 square feet of agricultural structures to agricultural uses. If a change of use or additional square footage is desired, the request will be processed under then current Pitkin County regulations. This covenant shall contain a methodology approved by the County Attorney and Community Development Director for maintenance and upkeep of the site and structures should they become abandoned. 5. At building permit application, the Applicant shall: A. Submit for approval an earthmoving permit that identifies all areas disturbed by construction. The permit shall include a detailed revegetation plan that shows native vegetation in the area and tree mitigation for 6" d.b.h. trees that are removed. All revegetation shall occur within one growing season of the project's completion. Financial security for successful revegetation may be required. Best management practices shall be used to limit erosion and keep sedimentation on site. B. A State Storm Water permit is required if there is more than one acre of disturbance. C. Submit a large scale construction management plan for review and approval by Planning/Zoning showing the locations of staging, material storage and employee and construction traffic parking. D. Submit for approval an access permit for the new driveway that demonstrates compliance with the Pitkin County Asset Management Plan and Basalt and Rural Fire Protection District requirements. E. Submit for approval a lighting plan in conformance with the Code. The plan shall also address the potential for light to emanate from the greenhouse and mitigate the impact to the surrounding area, if necessary. The Applicant has represented that the greenhouses will not have "grow" lights, only "shop" lights. 07 Resolution No. -2013 Page 3 of 7 F. Submit for approval a detailed drainage plan that maintains drainage on site, does not discharge water directly into the Roaring Fork River, and ensures water quality. With not less than 24 hours' notice to the Applicant/Owner, the County shall have access to the property for water quality testing. Any water quality testing costs reasonably incurred shall be at the expense to the Applicant. G. Show compliance with all County and State wastewater disposal regulations. H. Submit for approval a detailed landscaping plan designed to screen the greenhouses from scenic roads and adjacent neighbors. I. Submit an evaluation from a certified geotechnical engineer to determine if engineered foundations or other mitigation will be required to address possible impacts of debris flow from alluvial fans in the area. 6. Prior to building permit issuance: A. Pay the applicable road impact fees. B. Pay the applicable affordable housing impact fee. 7. For the greenhouse operation, Applicant shall utilize his/her agricultural irrigation water and/or a water hauling service until the BWCD Allotment Contract is approved, or until an acceptable alternative is approved by the Pitkin County Attorney. Applicant shall obtain the BWCD Allotment Contract, or have an acceptable alternative approved by the County Attorney, prior to the issuance of a Final Certificate of Occupancy. 8. The Applicant shall comply with all rules and regulations of the Basalt and Rural Fire Protection District. This includes, but is not limited to: A. Outside fire alarms with horn and strobe lights shall be installed on all greenhouses; B. Hazardous materials shall be properly stored pursuant to manufacturers' suggestions; C. Notification devices shall be installed within the greenhouse to alert occupants of a fire; D. A water flow device monitored through a central receiving station shall be installed that activates a general fire alarm; and E. Inclusion of a water tank for fire suppression in a size approved by Basalt and Rural Fire Protection District. This water tank shall be fully buried or otherwise enclosed within a structure; F. Approved Access; G. Approved water storage; H. Approved sprinkler system. 9. The Applicant shall comply with the following "low" wildfire standards: A. Defensible Space: 1. Brush, debris and non -ornamental vegetation shall be removed within a minimum ten - foot (10') perimeter of structures. All branches that extend over the roof eaves shall be trimmed and all branches within fifteen (15) feet of chimneys shall be removed. 3. All deadfall up to a one hundred (100) foot perimeter shall be removed. �i µ3'!Tn '�'JJU.) Resolution No. -2013 Page 4 of 7 4. No new conifer trees shall be planted within ten (10) feet of any structure. 5. No flammable mulches shall be placed within two (2) feet of any structure. 6. The property owner shall be responsible for the continued maintenance of the defensible space vegetation requirements. B. Roofs and projections at or below roof line shall be constructed according to the following specifications: I. Roofing Materials A. Class A covering or Class A Assembly as defined by the currently adopted building code, or an alternative roof assembly that is approved by the Fire Marshall and satisfies the review by the Chief Building Official and/or is provided for as an exception in the governing building code. B. No wood shakes or shingles. C. Roofs with less than a 3:12 pitch are not permitted unless they comply with the following: 1. All roof coverings shall be constructed of non-combustible materials and installed on a Class A roof assembly. As an alternative to a Class A roof assembly, a roof assembly that is approved by the Fire Marshall and satisfies the review by the Chief Building Official and/or is provided for as an exception in the governing building code is acceptable. 2. All roof coverings shall have a surface that shall facilitate the natural process of clearing roof debris. 3. Protrusions above the roofline, such as parapets, shall be prohibited. 4. Roofs shall be installed as required by the adopted Building Code and shall have a minimum pitch of 1:48. 5. All roof designs, coverings, or equivalent assemblies shall be specifically approved by the Fire Marshall prior to submittal of a building permit application. D. Maintenance and Miscellaneous Requirements 1. Roofs and gutters shall be kept clear of debris. 2. Roof vents shall be screened with corrosive resistant wire mesh, with mesh one-fourth CA) inch maximum. 3. Weeds and grasses within the ten (10) foot perimeter shall be maintained to a height not more than six (6) inches. 4. Each structure shall have a minimum of one ten (10) pound ABC fire extinguisher. 10. The Applicant shall comply with the following general conditions regarding wildlife: A. Manipulation of vegetation outside of the Activity Envelope is prohibited. B. Fruit bearing trees and shrubs shall be prohibited within the Activity Envelope. This does not include pre-existing native trees and shrubs. C. Trash/garbage shall be kept in an approved bear resistant container or enclosure. These containers shall be accessible to and use at all times by contractors on site. D. Pet food shall not be left outside. '6ju0�1 i Resolution No. -2013 Page 5 of 7 E. All outside doors shall utilized solid round handled door knobs. F. Contractors shall not bring dogs on site during construction. 11. The Applicant shall comply with the General Standards for Wildlife Habitat Areas as stated in Code Section 7-20-70(c). 12. Statutory vested rights for the approval contained herein are granted pursuant to the Pitkin County Land Use Code and Colorado Statutes, subject to the exceptions set forth in Pitkin County Land Use Code, § 2-20-170 and C.R.S., § 24-68-105. The statutory vested rights granted herein shall expire on December , 2016. 13. Failure to comply with the conditions of this approval may result in revocation of this approval, or any subsequent permit(s) or approval(s) related to this property, or vested rights associated with this property. 14. Approval of this request does not confer any reliance on or approval for licensing of any business on the property or any other land use approvals for the subject property. 00 010 Resolution No. Page 6 of 7 -2013 NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING PUBLISHED IN THE ASPEN TIMES WEEKLYon the 3rd day of October, 2013. PUBLISHED AFTER ADOPTION FOR VESTED REAL PROPERTY RIGHTS IN THE ASPEN TIMES WEEKLY ON APPROVED AND ADOPTED at the public meeting on the 18th day of December, 2013. ATTEST: BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF PITKIN COUNTY, COLORADO Jeanette Jones Deputy Clerk George Newman, Chairman Date: APPROVED AS TO FORM: APPROVED AS TO CONTENT: John Ely, County Attorney Case # P075-13 P[D#: 246725400007 Liu 0'311 (-GA, in Houben, Community Development Director 1 MATTHEW C . FERGUSON LAW FIRM November 14, 2013 VIA MAIL AND E-MAIL Ms. Cindy Houben Director—Pitkin County Community Development Department Mr. Lance Clark Assistant Director --- Pitkin County Community Development Department 130 South Galena Street Aspen, Colorado 81611 John Ely, Esq. Pitkin County Attorney's Office County Attorney 530 East Main Street, Suite 301 Aspen CO 81611 Re: LAFKLC, LLC Activity Envelope Site Plan Review, and Request for Exempt Agricultural Floor Area/ Parcel ID# 2367-254-00-007 Dear Ms. Houben, Mr. Clark and Mr. Ely: I have again reviewed the packet of materials submitted by LAFKLC in connection with the above referenced application. I have also asked COM DEV about heating information. To date we have no response. LAFKLC's application only depicts "Construction Sequence" "stick" figures for the Teton Greenhouses manufactured by Nexus Greenhouse Systems. Notably missing are actual photographs of this commercial product. My client, Marty Schlumberger, did provide a copy of the photograph below — a photograph (worth a "1000 words") that LAFKLC and its representatives clearly had — but decided to withhold. Instead, they provided the far less descriptive stick figure instructions in LAFKLC's application. Only Exhibit 11 shows in the most basic and unhelpful way (in benign computer renderings) these structures depicting some fans on them. Assiduously avoided y the applicant are product photographs. 000012 A PROFESSIONAL CORPORATION I ATTORNEYS AT LAW 119 South Spring Street, Suite 201 I Aspen, Colorado 81611 1970.925.6288 office 970.925.2273 fax WWW.MATTHEWFERGUSONLAW.COM Letter to Ms. Cindy Houben, Lance Clark, and John Ely, Esq. November 14, 2013 Page 2 The above Nexus photograph for the Teton greenhouse also shows one important item that has not been addressed which is the need for heating (and cooling) of these large industrial growing systems. Not noted in any of LAFKLC's materials is how these systems will be heated (or cooled) I. Nexus says this: One method of heating greenhouses is the use of overhead unit heaters. These heaters operate off hot water, natural gas, propane or oil and function by blowing hot air from the heaters into the greenhouse environment. The heated air is then mixed throughout the greenhouse by use of horizontal air flow (HAF) fans or fan jets with poly convection tubes (which are not as common). The height of the greenhouses increases with the exhaust pipes. Noise and a constant din, humming and/or rattling of cooling and heating systems must be expected. Exhaust and marijuana odors have been skipped over. Obviously the greenhouses also need to be cooled at times. Fans and heaters are depicted on the Nexus photographs below. Some cooling can be done by ventilation, but here the applicant is silent as to whether fans will be used or not. ., 000013 Letter to Ms. Cindy Houben, Lance Clark, and John Ely, Esq. November 14, 2013 Page 3 Even vents could require added building height and mechanical operations (with noise). We are requesting that the applicant fully and completely address the mechanical systems that are needed and intended before the November 21, 2013, site inspection. Very truly C. Ferguson cc: Jody Edwards, Esq. (via e-mail) Laura Maytlin, Esq. (via e-mail) 4851-316I-1426, v. 1 000014 MATTHEW C. FERGUSON LAW FIRM December 10, 2013 VIA MAIL AND E-MAIL Pitkin County Board of County Commissioners Ms. Cindy Houben Director—Pitkin County Community Development Department Mr. Lance Clark Assistant Director --- Pitkin County Community Development Department 130 South Galena Street Aspen, Colorado 81611 John Ely, Esq. Pitkin County Attorney's Office County Attorney 530 East Main Street, Suite 301 Aspen CO 81611 Re: LAFKLC, LLC Activity Envelope Site Plan Review, and Request for Exempt Agricultural Floor Area/ Parcel XD# 2367-254-00-007 Dear Commissioners, Ms. Houben, Mr. Clark and Mr. Ely: I am writing on behalf of my client Marty Schlumberger. You all visited his property line on November 21, 2013, during a site inspection of the Applicant's site. Colorado's attempts at legalization of marijuana will have profound and unintended consequences for our society and communities. There is no doubt or dispute that that LAFKLC, LLC is attempting to "beat out" meaningful regulation and zoning laws that are quickly going to be outpaced by growers who can make thousands and indeed millions of dollars. There is no dispute this land was acquired to produce recreational marijuana. Municipalities like Aspen are dealing with and struggling to devise rules, regulations and zoning for dispensaries. There need to be buffer zones from schools, childcare and other facilities. Retail pot shops are zoned away from most areas of Denver. LAFKLC, LLC has had more than ample opportunity to espouse all the views about marijuana, and organic pot, and being a good Woody Creek neighbor. The residents, Caucus and many others have had some opportunity to place in the record their overwhelming numbers in opposition to LAFKLC, LLC's application. A PROFESSIONAL CORPORATION I ATTORNEYS AT LAW 119 South Spring Street, Suite 201 I Aspen, Colorado 816rt 1970.925.6288 office 1970.925.2273 fax WWW.MATTHEWFERGUSONLAW.COM 00611_5 Letter to Commissioners, Ms. Cindy Houben, Lance Clark, and John Ely, Esq. December 10, 2013 Page 2 The BOCC and COM DEV are attempting to tackle a watershed social and zoning issue in the confines of an exemption for "agricultural" floor area and "greenhouse" amendments. LAFKLC, LLC does not have an inalienable right to a prompt land use exemption request or greenhouse regulations. Yesterday's Denver Post (12/9/2013) reported about Denver's City Council efforts to deal with the pot issues that city faces thus: Then they moved on to the next item before them: revamping zoning codes to deal with growing marijuana. Afler being approved by the council, bills must still be signed by the mayor. Pitkin County deserves the same. The Commissioners and numerous county departments must study current zoning for an entirely new situation. We must start with defining what a commercial grow operation for marijuana is. Hay sells for $250 per ton. An acre produces 1 '/ tons. Hay is a traditional agricultural crop recognized by the United States Department of Agriculture, and thus by the Colorado Department of Agriculture. Marijuana from a single 3000 square foot facility that is geared to raise multiple grows per year, by tricking the plants to flower over and over. We have studied this type of operation and the dollars there operations produce are staggering — hundreds of thousands and into the millions. The nettle type plants are tricked with water, light/darkness, temperature and growing hours. It is simply not an agricultural crop under any defuvtion. Leaving it to staff of the County Attorney to determine its status as agriculture, a crop or a food in the context of a land use exemption or greenhouse code amendments imprudently and perhaps illegally kicks the can down the road. Here the test subjects are the families of Woody Creek and Lower River Road. Here the test subjects are the thousands of users of the Rio Grande Trail system that so much has been poured into. Here the test subject is the awe inspiring Snowmass Canyon itself and an approach to Aspen and Snowmass decades in the making. No county or municipality should go it alone. Amendment 64 left the Colorado people with issues to address and resolve. Radtke's Grand Teton greenhouses are NOT an accessory to a farm house. They are not a hay barn. They are indeed something far more. District 3 constituents and this group of pot growers are not going to agree on the complex legal, social and moral issues. This is plain. But, a vast and silent majority of citizens want and need Pitkin County to uncover study and address the myriad of issues that face this community and ultimately many more areas in the county. We have a grower telling us to trust him, because medical marijuana serves some illnesses well. We had a grower essentially have free reign at a site visit to tell the BOCC and staff all the things that he will do and why he should be able to do it. In reality, the entire exercise was one of trying to convince 5 commissioners why the concerns and core interests of dozens of citizens should be rejected. The entire exercise was to try to explain Letter to Commissioners, Ms. Cindy Houben, Lance Clark, and John Ely, Esq. December 10, 2013 Page 3 how Ron Radtke would secret an unprecedented eyesore next to our client's home and near all his neighbors. The sight, sound and smell of this thing cannot be hidden. That one is hidden somewhere in the canyon, establishes that these are both unnecessary and unwanted nuisances. If Ron Radtke and his team need to make money gearing up a large commercial grow operation to supply their medical and recreational marijuana stores it should be done in an area that is studied, zoned and then properly controlled. Our other letter today addresses the proposed Greenhouse Code amendments. We have objected to those portions that would allow any staff or applicant to apply agricultural uses to marijuana and bring this completely new, complex and illegal industry under the rubric of greenhouse "regulation". Greenhouses heretofore were used for flowers, and plants and poinsettias and tomatoes. This substance is not a food, or a flower or even a vine producing a food that produces wine. The site visit raised questions about light, artificial light, fabrics and colors. Rather than cogent and supportable answers, we heard things like the property is one of the best sun areas in Colorado — in a canyon — with every single neighbor shocked to hear that sunshine is a perpetual feature of the Radtke operation, and the rest of them should discount their centuries of living in that place. We heard for the very first time from Radtke about the need for fans, cooling, heating, water delivery, decibels readings, odors and sound distances, and estimates about how long drivers will see this operation as they pass each day twice on the pristine banks of the Roaring Fork River as it tumbles through a very special canyon. It had to be Schlumberger that showed BOCC the actual photographs of the materials from the manufacturer and to also gather actual installations of the Teton models around the state. Rather than present all the real nuts and bolts, challenges and dangers of such an operation, Ron Radtke has provided nothing more than a canned infomercial. He has not told us that theft can be rife among workers handling an ounce of material worth $2500, or how growers deal with those in the grow house and those who pick and process. There has been no discussion of the underbelly of this substance and its production, or the fact that the Aspen High School, Pitkin County Sheriff and Aspen Police Department all stated in public just last week that "medical" marijuana is what is being used and dealt by the students. There has been little effort looking down the road with the enactment of Amendment 64. That Ron Radtke says he is a nice guy doing a good and noble thing, and that he will build berms, and buy quiet fans and move the greenhouses do not undo that which will not be undone in allowing this operation to move forward with large commercial year round greenhouse operation that gets approved under the guise of agricultural uses for zoning from a bygone era. That we are told over and over again that Ron Radtke's grand children "play hockey" and know about pot, does not undo the fact that the Valley Partnership on Drug Prevention last week presented statistics that show our students abusing pot — illegally, that it is from these very Aspen `medical" dispensaries and that the Aspen Valley Hospital is dealing with many anxiety and Letter to Commissioners, Ms. Cindy Houben, Lance Clark, and John Ely, Esq. December 10, 2013 Page 4 paranoia attacks in the emergency room form this illegal use of high grade marijuana. It matters little that it is "organic". This is what Radtke has been able to address and spout about over and over again. He has controlled the agenda and in large measure as the applicant, he has been given the floor. At bottom, this application must be denied in its entirety. The County must go about the work of dealing with a new, unique and complex growing industry. The City of Denver is just now about to do this. This grower should not use our officials' time and money constraints to grab a foothold in a zoning and regulatory vacuum. Greenhouse code amendments and a variance for "agricultural" use are highly ineffective ways to deal with this application and the crush of greenhouses we are seeing already. Mr. Schlumberger, numerous Lower River Road residents and countless lovers of the canyon and Woody Creek trails and fishing access should not all be the losers simply because the rules, zoning and regulations were never designed to deal with cash crops and sophisticated grow operations in the wake of Amendment 64. We once again request complete denial of the application. Very truly yours, 1 cc: Jody Edwards, Esq. (via e-mail) Laura Maytlin, Esq. (via e-mail) 4645-4601-3207, v. 1 C. Ferguson UU V U18 K E C KLEIN COTE EDWARDS CITRON LC C ATTORNEYS HERBERT S. KLEIN* LANCE R. COTE, PC,. JOSEPH E. EDWARDS, III, PC KENNETH E. CITRON*** MADHU B. KRISHNAMURTI hsk@kceclaw. corn cote@kceclaw.com jee®kceclaw.com kcitron@kceclaw.com mbk@kcedaw.com "also admitted in Hawaii "also admitted in California """also admitted in New York and Massachusetts December 10, 2013 Via email to: lance.clarke@pitkincounty.com Pitkin County Board of County Commissioners c/o Mr. Lance Clarke Pitkin County Planning Department 130 S. Galena Street, 3rd floor Aspen, CO 81611 Re: LAFKLC, LLC — Flexibility for Agricultural Support; PID No. 2467-254-00-007 Dear Chairman Newman and Commissioners: 101 SOUTH MILL STREET SUITE 200 ASPEN, COLORADO 81611 TELEPHONE: (970) 925-8700 www.kceclaw.com As you know, I represent numerous land owners in the Woody Creek Caucus Area who are strongly opposed to the proposed site plan and proposal for development of commercial -style greenhouse structures (although technically "Agricultural Structures" under the current Code) at 2520 Lower River Road (the "Property"). For reference and to answer a question I was asked at the prior hearing, enclosed is a list of the neighbors that I represent living in the immediate vicinity of the Property. As you witnessed at the site visit, the Property is located within a quiet, residential neighborhood. This neighborhood is within the Woody Creek Caucus ("WCC") area. The Applicant tried to suggest at the November 6, 2013 hearing that there is some question whether the Property is within the WCC Area. This is simply false. Attached is a copy of Resolution 90- 42 (recorded as Reception No. 516569) approving the formation of the WCC. On the first page of the Bylaws attached to that Resolution (page 3 of 4 of the recorded document) the Caucus Area is defined. It starts by saying "Highway 82 from the intersection of Smith Way and Highway 82 to the Old Snowmass Bridge, over the bridge and along Lower River Road and straight up the mountain to the ridge, then Southeast along that ridge back up -valley, encompassing all of Lower River Road, * * *." The definition of Causus Area ends with a statement that there is a map attached — but, if such map existed, it was not attached to the 4 pages that were recorded. A map was included within the WCC Master Plan adopted a year and one-half after the Resolution creating the WCC. The map in the Master Plan fails to include the Lower River Road area. The error in the map included in the Master Plan does not have the effect of amending the WCC Caucus Area as originally approved by the BOCC. Moreover, the 000019 Board of County Commissioners December 10, 2013 Page 2 law is clear that that the County is entitled to deference in interpreting any ambiguity in its own Code. When asked at the November 6, 2013 hearing, staff stated that the property along Lower River Road is and has always been a part of the WCC Area from the County's perspective. Finally, on the County's website under Caucuses, there is a map that shows the various caucuses of the County and the northwestern corner of the WCC Area intersects the Snowmass/Capitol Creek Caucus and comes very close to the Emma Caucus at the Old Snowmass Bridge (the Conoco station). It is my understanding that (and there was a comment made at the November 6, 2013 hearing to the effect that) a majority of the BOCC has stated they believe the BOCC should follow the Caucus recommendations for a period of at least a year with regard to marijuana regulations and the location of marijuana grow operations and specifically whether these will be allowed within the individual caucus areas. As was presented at the November 6, 2013 hearing, the WCC (by more than 90%) recommends denial of the LAFKLC application. The WCC has been unequivocal on this issue. It is a good policy in these early days of legalized marijuana growing for the BOCC to listen to the desires of the caucuses --- most of the people in the County's caucuses bought their properties before marijuana was legalized and had no expectation that someday any neighbor's property could be used for commercial -style marijuana production under the guise of "agriculture." They did have a reasonable expectation that the neighborhood could and would be used for residential and traditional agricultural purposes. There is a gap in the Code — the Code has not yet caught up with the recent changes in marijuana regulation at the state level. If marijuana grow operations are to be allowed in Pitkin County, then there need to be areas appropriate for this use that are specifically zoned to allow the type of operations that are contemplated by this and other imminent applications. The type of grow operation that is proposed is not your traditional backyard greenhouse for tomatoes or flowers. This application specifically contemplates eventually having over 42,000 square feet of greenhouse structures on the Property though less is requested at this time. The structures look, feel and operate like commercial structures and should be in a commercial zone district, not a rural residential zone. Admittedly, as the Code is written today, this is an "agricultural" proposal. However, the Applicant has no right to this size of agricultural use on this Property. The Applicant is specifically asking you for special dispensation via the "flexibility" for agricultural operations section of the Code. The flexibility for agriculture provisions of the Code require that you consider whether the "proposed agricultural buildings will support and sustain the rural character of the County" and whether large greenhouses are "small scale agricultural activities" and will "maintain the rural character and appearance of the land." See Page 8 of the Staff Memorandum from the hearing on November 6, 2013. Those standards are simply not met with this application — there is nothing small scale about the proposed structures. VUu62,) Board of County Commissioners December 10, 2013 Page 3 Pitkin County has historically supported agriculture. And it may be true that the future of agriculture — at least the future of some types of agriculture — very likely involves greenhouses, and maybe very large greenhouses as are proposed here. However, what we need to figure out is how to foster that aspect of agriculture without turning all of our rural residential and ranching areas into rows and rows of super -sized greenhouses. These large greenhouse buildings look, feel and operate much more like commercial buildings than the traditional potato & hay operations that historically populated the Roaring Fork valley. These buildings require multiple employees and they look out of place in a meadow — but a classic barn looks perfectly in place at the edge of a meadow. The appropriate place for buildings such as these is in the commercial areas. The County needs to provide zoning in areas where the rural neighborhood will not be destroyed for these types of light industrial and commercial uses, where there is proper safety and emergency access, and where the buildings have a look, feel and operation style similar to the proposed large greenhouse buildings. If you allow this type of development in this location over the strong objections of the WCC and the neighborhood, then there is no justification for prohibiting this type of commercial -style agricultural development in the other caucus areas including the Frying Pan Valley, the Crystal Valley, Old Snowmass, Emma, Woody Creek, Maroon Creek, Castle Creek and up Independence. Should the precedent for allowing large-scale commercial greenhouse operations along the Lower River Road corridor be set, the County's goal of "containable development" will be lost and could inevitably lead to a "fundamental change in character" from rural residential to something approaching a light industrial classification. The County needs to provide for the future of agriculture, but our pristine rural areas are not the proper place for large, commercial -style greenhouses. The Applicant has no right to maximize the profit potential on the Property at the expense of the neighborhood. It is within your discretion to deny this application, and we respectfully request that you do so. Please let me know if I can provide any additional information. Very truly yours, KLE COT . EDWARDS CITRON LLC E. Edwards, III 000321 Robert & Cynthia Chapman & Barry Wehmiller Group Casey Coffman Collins Family Living Trust Amy Covington Dan & Meg Dangler Dart Family Partnership Ltd. Galardi Group Development LLC Becky Gilbert Donna C & Rick Gardner Jean-Marie Hamel Donna L Harper David & Ruth Hoff Ray & Sandy Ives Paul & Claire Jones Nancy & William MacKenzie Jeff & Cathy Jandegian Robert F & Karen Ritter Judith B Royer Marty Schlumberger Paul & Kali Theofanous Trail Ridge Fund LP Linda Waag Daniel Waggaman VJU622 •u, A I 4 4.1 T RESOLUTION OF TH3 BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSION or PIWII COUNTY, CoroRADO APPROVING THE FOiQ(ATICK Or THE WOODY CREEK CAUCUS Resolution No. 90 KICITALS 1. While a Woody Creek Caucus was formed and ..pproved by the Board in 1975, the records relating to the appr-val, including bylaws and evidence of geographical boundaries, cannot be located. 2. The residents of the Woody Creek area wish to re- organize and establish a new Woody Cr' Caucus as provided in Article IV of the Pitkin County Home . charter, in order to provide information and opinions to the Board on matters affecting the Woody Creek area. 3. A *sating was called within the proposed Woody Creek CaucuS area, which was held on Wednesday, April le, 1990 at the Aspen Community School, Woody Creek, Colorado. Notice of the date, time, place, and purpose of the meeting was provided to the residents and non-resident property owners within the proposed caucus area by publicet)an in the gaily Tiles on April 11th and April 16th, 1990. 4. At the initial meeting a sajority of the qualified electors and non-resident real property owners in attendance voted to approve the forsation of the caucus. 5. At the initial meeting the voters approved the By -Laws of The. Woody Creek caucus, attached hereto. S. The Board finds that the Caucus Area as identified in the by-laws reflects a geographically contiguous area with social, economic, cultural, and environmental caiiunities of interest. NOW t17Y1tirom BE IT BXSOLVZD BY THE DOA1 D OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS Or PUTNIN COUNTY, COLORADO, that it does hereby approve the formation of the Woody Creek Caucus, the Caucus Area identified in the fly -Laws of the Woody Creek Caucus, as well as the By -Laws themselves, attached hereto. The Woody Creek Cauc.:s is recognized as caucus in accordance with the provisions of Article IV of the Pitkin County Hose Rule Charter, and shall ;;eve the rights and obligations identified in that Article. YNTRODx3CED, FIRST READ, APPROVED AND ADOPTED AFTER PVI;L:: HEARING ON THE 15TH DAY OF MAY, 1990. nu023 1III ItO 1111 ILVIA DAVIS PITK N COUNTY CO i I II 516569 Page: 1 of 4 10/21/2005 03:07 R 0.00 0 0.00 PUJSLIRAID AMR ADOPTION Ix 24TH DAY OF WAY, I990. TlD+ AMZiT J tt. Jones ty Clark Ji sercordsr APPROVID AS TO FORK: alba z'Jzo�as "I' :r' Smith County Attorney tls.soo.i 44, F � U0UU24 OF RR0 OF COUNTY COIla59IONER3 COUNTY, COLORAEO Esrsctssl Moss Chair APPROVID: R.dHa County Kanner 0 0.00 Siho { t, BY-LAWS OF THE WOODY CREEK CAUCUS FUNCTION The Woody Creek Caucus shall have a recommendatory function for all matters directly affecting the caucus area, and shall permit its members to report minority views, u well as majority views, and division of votes with any such recommendation. Further the caucus dull have a recornntendatt.ry function .jr all planning matters affecting the caucus area, as secs! as other County matters affecting the caucus area including, but not limited to. budgetary and work program matters. CAUCUS AREA I r The boundaries of the Woody Creek Caucus shall be as follows: Highway 82 from the intersection of Smith Way and Highway 82 to the Old Snowman Bridge, over the bridge and along Lower River Road and straight up the mountain to the ridge, then Southeast along that ridge back up -valley, encompassing all Lower River Road, Phillips Trailer Court, lower Woody Creek, Little Woody Creek, up past the Community School, with a spur encompassing the Lenado Valley as far as Lenado, and then in a straight line back west to Highway 82, on the south side of Jaffee's property, passing through a point on for r' Jaffee Hill. (map attached) 000325 MEMaERSH1P The membership of the Woody Creek Caucus shall consist of all the qualified electors who reside in the caucus area, together with the non-resident owners of real property within the caucus area. VOTING Each caucus member shall have one (I) vote on all matters appropriate :or caucus voting. Voting on any other basis may be conducted on special matters for information purposes only, and must be clearly identified as such Ail votes must be cast in person or by proxy/absentee ballot qualified tinier proxy/absentee ballot rules to be adopted from time to time. M EETINGS Meetings shall be held as necessary and Robert's Rules of Order shalt eoi.: t:. the conduct of all meetings. A quorum shall consist of r?) : �c.. members present at any meeting. 11 11 II It SILVIA DAVIS PITKIN COUNTY Co u 516569 Page: 3 of 4 10/21/2005 03:07f R 0.00 is 0.00 i I ECUflVECOMMITTEE There shall be an Executive Committee consisting of a Moderator for co - moderators), and five (5) representatives from the caucus area. 1f possible, each member of the Executive Committee shall be a representative from one of the following areas: Lenado, Woody Creek Trailer Park, Twining Flats. Woody Creek and the area northwest of Woody Creek along River Road including Lower River Road. She Moderator and members of the Executive Committee shall be elected at a meeting of the Gums and shall serve for a term of ore year. Members may be elected to an indefinite number of terms. The job of the Moderator (or co -moderators) shall be to set agendas, schedule and run Caucus meetings. In addition the Moderator (or co -moderators) shall act as the spokesman for the caucus unless the Moderator appoints another person to act as spokesman for a specific issue or issues. The job of the Executive Committee shall be to help organize meetings, and to act as representatives of the above -mentioned areas of the Caucus to promote a direct communication network within the Caucus boundaries. The Executive Committee shall appoint from within its membership a 5euetary and Treasures whose jobs shill be as the titles imply. Adopted: Apri118,1990 Page: 4260 of 4 10/21/2005 03.071 R 0,00 D 0.00 • .4' 4 UUuD26 RRR FUNDING LLC 3459 Ringsby Court, Suite 418 Denver, CO 80216 November 25, 2013 Board of County Commissioners, Pitkin County Mr. Lance Clarke, Assistant Director Pitkin County Planning Department 130 S. Galena St 3"I floor Aspen, CO 81611 Via email: iance.cIarke@co.pitkin.co.us. steve.child@co.pitkin.co.us; rob.ittner@co.pitkin.Co.us; George.newman@cg,pitkin.co.us; MichaeLowsley@co.pitkin.co.us; Rachel.richards@co.pitkin.co.us Re: LADKLC LLC Activity Envelope and Site Plan Review PID No. 2467-254-00-007 Dear Board Members and Mr. Clarke; I represent RRR Funding LLC the owner of the Deer Creek Ranch property located at 2553 Lower River Road in Pitkin County, Colorado as I've previously indicated. I was present at the site visit on November 21" at 2520 Lower River Road, and once again want to voice our overwhelming opposition to these massive structures being approved in this location. Even with just flagging tape & story poles, the enormity of just this Phase 1 is completely out of character for this very rural neighborhood. Driving Highway 82 after the meeting was shocking how visible these will be from the Highway as well. This is a commercial operation for a profitable production of marijuana — not a residential agricultural use. Any commercial operation that would require structures of this size & visual impact would be protested in this location. The closeness to the children's bike path and country lane are a source of worry, and the security risk is inherent with the product. I also continue to voice the fact that 97% of the Woody Creek Caucus, Snowmass Caucus AND all of the Lower River Road property owners object to this approval being granted. The applicant is a tenant, not an owner of the property, and yet if approved the impact will be on us as property owners in many different ways: 1) visual 2) Security 3) Potential Odor (as stated by Mr. Radtke himself at the Caucus meeting to last 2-3 days during harvest) and finally 4) decreased property values. My letter is not a protest of medical marijuana or its uses, but rather the very inappropriate location of a commercial operation of this size in an otherwise quiet, residential neighborhood. There are many other site locations for this type of structures, and as Mr. Radtke does not own the property on Lower River road he can easily choose another site. I appreciate your consideration, Regards, / 006, Sharon L. Cole Representative RRR Funding, LLC 3459 Ringsby Court Suite 418 Denver, CO 80216 (970) 390-5083 Sharon@montegra.com uijU27 Snowmass Capitol Creek Caucus Board P.O. Box 507 Old Snowmass, Colorado 81654 December 9, 2013 Pitkin County Board of County Commissioners 530 East Main Street Aspen, Colorado 81611 Dear Commissioners: We understand that an application for approval of proposed marijuana greenhouses on Lower River Road will be heard by you on December 18. We would like to bring to your attention the following resolution relating to this approval, which was adopted by the Snowmass Capitol Creek Caucus Board at its meeting held November 18: "Resolved, that the Snowmass Capitol Creek Caucus Board wishes to express its opposition to the proposal for greenhouses on Lower River Road for the purpose of growing marijuana and supports the Woody Creek Caucus in its opposition to the proposed greenhouses." Thank you so much for your consideration of our views on this matter. Sincerely yours, Snowmass Capitol Creek Caucus Board cc: Mr. Lance Clarke 0028 I)ecenibe1' 10, 013 Pitkiii County Commissioners, \iv wife and I built our home at .1076 Lower River Road in 2004. The primary consideration for us in selecting this location was and still is the rural nature of Lower River Road in Snowmass Canyon. We both attended the last County Commissioners' meeting but did not speak. It should be noted that neither of us has attended a meeting before. While we are not against the legalization of marijuana, we are both strongly opposed to the applicants request to build the first of many, large greenhouses on both sides of Lower River Road. This is not an issue of what is proposed to be cultivated, rather this is a land -use issue that will forever change the character of Snowmass Canyon. It was fascinating to watch and listen to the public comment at the last coimiiissioners meeting. It seems to me that it is now politically incorrect to object to anything relating to marijuana and the simple inference that anyone oli)ecting to a variance request is somehow painted as -anti- pot". I find it contemptible that a renter would actively solicit a variance that would alter the neighborhood over the objections of the neighbors. The "Colorado green rush" is on. As was stated by several people at the sheeting, the development of public policy is sorely lagging behind the January i deadline when marijuana becomes legal in the State of Colorado. Many entrepreneurs are simply trying to beat the regulations that are sure to follow. It should not matter whether pot or roses are proposed to be grown in the greenhouses. What should matter is that the structures are too large and out of character with the neighborhood. Phis applicant has acknowledged that these two greenhouses with a combined size of 2o,0oosf is just the begriming. Phase one will be completely visible from up -valley and down -valley traffic on highway 82 as well as the Rio Grande Trail. Phase two is another 20,o00sf to he located in open pasture~ across Lower Kiver Road. Is 4o,0x00sf of greenhouses really in character with the open space along Lower River Road? If you approve this application, it Neill likely attract other commercial growers and before you know it, both sides of Lower River Road will be covered with greenhouses. Final thought. if you approve this, it would be a hypocritical slap in the face to all Of the property owners along Lower River Road who have been forced for decades to play by the County'sstrict Bind -use rules pertaining to development of their own homes and properties. 1 would he subject to more scrutiny and a likely denial by the County if I applied for an additional bathroom or quested more square footage for my home. Please do not approve this application. c;ai-v Feldman .4076 Lower River Road Snowiiiass CO 81654 12/11/13 Pitld n County Mail - Radke greenhouse application - tot ti'1 Radke greenhouse application Phil Holstein <phil@aspensurfers.com> Tue, Dec 10, 2013 at 11:19 PM To: george.newman@pitkincounty.com Cc: steve.child@pitkincounty.com, rachel.richards@pitkincounty.com, michael.owsley@pitkincounty.cor, rob.ittner@pitkincounty.com, Lance Clarke <Lance.Clarke@co.pitkin.co.us>, johne@co.pitkin.co.us, Cindy.Houben@co.pitkin.co.us Woody Creek Caucus Woody Creek Caucus District Planning Commission P. O. Box 297 Woody Creek, Colorado 81656 Dear Mr. Newman, I understand you have requested a clarification of the Woody Creek Caucus position on the Radke greenhouse application. As an officer of the Woody Creek Caucus and the Woody Creek Caucus District Planning Commission, I am writing to affirm that the Caucus and the Planning Commission have voted overwhelmingly against the approval of the Radke greenhouse application. The application violates the intent of our master plan and the wishes of almost everyone in the Caucus area, with its proposed building of substantial structures of a commercial nature, which is what defines the commercial use. We in the Caucus have worked long and hard over the years to prevent any kind of commercial development in our rural and residential areas. Approval of the Radke application would create a precedent that would dictate future approval of all sorts of commercial structures in Woody Creek. Lower River Road has been within the Woody Creek Caucus boundaries since the inception of the Caucus in 1975, and it has always abided by the Caucus standards and rules. We consider this neighborhood, and all other neighborhoods in the Caucus area, to be covered by the goals expressed in the master plan. Those goals include the prohibition of commercial development and the maintenance of an exclusively rural and residential community. Respectfully, Philip M. Holstein, Jr. Woody Creek Caucus and Woody Creek Caucus Planning Commission PO Box 2747 Aspen, CO 81612 (970)925-6177 phone (970) 920-9361 fax UJUu3O htt❑sllmail aooale.conymaill?ui=2&ilreb410f3ac7&vier�pt&search=inbox&th=142e04fe086da04a 1/2 ga m � aeo3 w sz° o Q o l LAFKLC, LLC Activity Envelope and Site Plan Review 2520 Lawpr RNer Road Sn000roa. Man Coony, Colorado P rccl tdeMMIc°tlon Nurt 2ae7.23K10007 a 4S D -t m 1— mo� y &m i' �� �0r agp Q n 71 o 0 70 0 i la ft ar[ 11ecL.re eamtaVa iIII, a — as alma ■ am 000031 Z a. l ioi vali iilNi ".'' CI.°r.. Waro-v uvia �•e d ry`�a +i•• -axm� , OM r Imo �� ^a amyl •*Mini FUN10N1;10iM0a �Ki"'sax+n�ossd vswvfl y1WJll [xi-�""•I[ [p[ iiTli i.. 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OJ O3 S • �x BsnoFiMSglD SIDO N n 30 1 I t1opp i 0 :7 \ . o + ONIIIIHAOO 3.I.vANOfl2IVD IOd tulnS /M g'IHVO 113ddf1 @ INEVIHDY.L.LY A.EGTIAICIHRWIlglifIHS V4 — 4 H 0 x N a 11Vi1411 g Q 01i0J44 HEATER INSTALLATION WITH S-9 SUPPORTS WITH TRUSS -TO -TRUSS SHADE SYSTEM u.iut1�� NEXUS OftaNROUSE S CORPORATION i0DS LaikOYVA, PeORTROUINK COIMADOlavl 47414D i I MEMORANDUM TO: Pitkin County Board of County Commissioners TITRU: Cindy Houben, Community Development Director FROM: Lance Clarke, Assistant Director RE: LAFKLC, LLC (Radtke) Activity Envelope and Site Plan Review with Scenic Review and Flexibility for Agricultural Support DATE: November 6, 2013 SUMMARY: The Applicant is requesting approval to construct up to 19,000+1- square feet of greenhouses and supporting buildings on a lot that is developed with a single family residence, an Employee Dwelling Unit, tack shed, and garage. APPLICANT: Green Essentials Medical, LLC (Ron Radtke) OWNER: LAFKLC, LLC REPRESENTATIVE: Ron Radtke LOCATION: 2520 Lower River Road, Lot 6 Aspen River Valley Ranch ZONING/LOT SIZE: AR-10/38+/- acres. The Lot is conforming in size. 2010 AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHY: The parcel is highlighted in orange on an aerial attached to this memo. Also shown is a "rough" depiction of the proposed greenhouses on the site. BACKGROUND/EXISTING CONDITIONS: The parcel is shown in the boundary configuration identified above in the 2010 aerial photo, highlighted in orange. The property is currently developed with a single family residence built in the late 1970s, two detached accessory structures, and an Employee Dwelling Unit; all accessed by a driveway directly off Lower River Road. Total existing floor area on the property is in the range of 6,000 sq. ft. The neighborhood in the vicinity of the subject property consists of large lot single family homes with accessory barns, corrals, and other agricultural outbuildings. Agricultural operations are primarily pastures, haying, and horse operations. PREVIOUS BOCC ACTIONS: The topic of agricultural structures and the ability for bona fide agricultural operations to request additional agricultural floor area was addressed by the BOCC in 2011. Under Ordinance 011-2011, the BOCC amended the Land Use Code to create provisions that provide certain exempt barn floor area for certain size lots. In this ordinance, larger sized lots receive larger exempt barn space while smaller sized lots receive smaller exempt barn space. On a lot that is less than 5 acres in size, no exemption is available. On a lot greater than 35 acres, as in this case, 5,812 sq. ft. of additional Growth Management exempt agricultural floor area would be permitted. In cases where the owner of the agricultural operations feels that the exempt agricultural space is not adequate for the size of the operation, or has no exemption available, the owner has the ability to request "flexibility" from the Community Development Director to allow approval for additional floor area. The request to construct additional agricultural floor area beyond the maximum established by the Code is under the "Flexibility for Agricultural Support" Page 1 of 9 60004+ provision. Review criteria were adopted to address this request and will be outlined later in this memorandum. It should be noted that there is no maximum size limit under the "flexibility" provision. PROPOSAL: The Applicant is requesting to retain the existing single family residence, the CDU and garage and to construct up to 19,000}I- square feet of additional floor area to support an agricultural operation for growing plants for medical marijuana. The County has determined that such use is "agricultural". The proposal is for 18,000 sq. ft. of greenhouses in two separate pods with three accessory structures for mechanical and storage. The greenhouse pods are referred to as Phase I and Phase II, though they are both proposed to be constructed within a year. The structures are clustered on the west side of the parcel adjacent to the residence and CDU (see aerial). REFERRAL TO A HIGHER BODY: Activity Envelope/Site Plan Review and a request for Flexibility for Agricultural Support are Administrative Reviews and can be Determinations by the Community Development Director pursuant to Chapter 2 of the Code. This application has garnered significant interest both from the applicable Caucus and surrounding residents. Pursuant to Section 2-30-20(i)(1)(a), the Community Development Director may refer any administrative application to a higher review body under the following circumstance. "In lieu of making an administrative decision, the Community Development Director may refer any application authorized for administrative approval to the Hearing Officer or BOCC as determined by the Community Development Director for decision pursuant to the criteria in subsection (g) above if the Community Development Director determines that: (a) The application raises a significant public controversy on which numerous parties beyond the owners of adjacent properties may want to offer testimony." Under this provision, Staff feels that the application raises significant public controversy and has referred this administrative application to the BOCC for review and decision. REFERRAL AGENCIES: The application was referred to the Woody Creek Caucus, the Basalt and Rural Fire Protection District, Colorado Parks and Wildlife. Referral comments are attached to this memo and are incorporated throughout Staffs responses. The Caucus Planning Commission felt that greenhouses were inappropriate for the area. The full Caucus will be meeting on October 31, after the writing of this memo. Their comments will be available at the meeting. Attached are comments from Lower River Road residents and property owners. Concerns expressed include: a change in character from the traditional seasonal, open - spaced oriented agriculture; size of structures; possible effect on property values; safety and security; proximity to bike path; commercial/industrial scale and aspects of the business; wildlife impacts; response time for fire/police; environmental issues; visual issues; Woody Creek Master Plan issues related to size, nature, and impacts of the proposed operation. Staff Memorandum: Page 2 of 9 000048 STAFF COMMENTS: There are a number of Land Use Code sections that will be addressed for review of this development proposal. Staff offers the following comments in accordance with the Land Use Code. ACTIVITY ENVELOPE (7-10-50): The Applicant has requested activity envelopes be established for the proposed development. All development must comply with the following provisions. Site Preparation and Grading: Land Use Code Section 7-10-20 addresses standards for preparing a site for development. Staff Response: The Applicant states that the standards in this section will be adhered to and grading, landscaping, drainage patterns, will all be located within the Activity Envelope. The Applicant is aware that a landscape plan that removes trees in excess of 6" d.b.h. will require mitigation. Steep and Potentially Unstable Slopes: Land Use Code Section 7-20-20 addresses standards for development on steep and potentially unstable slopes. Staff Response: The proposed Activity Envelope has been located on slopes less than 30% and mostly less than 15%. Water Courses and Drainage: Section 7-20-30 addresses standards for development in water resources areas. Staff Response: The Applicant understands historic drainage patterns must be preserved. An engineered drainage plan would be required at building permit. If disturbance on the Lot would exceed one (1) acre, a State Stormwater Permit will be required. Floodplain Hazards: Section 7-20-40 addresses floodplain standards and development practices. Staff Response: The Applicant has shown the 100 year floodplain of the Roaring Fork River and the development avoids the floodplain. Wildfire Hazard Areas: Section 7-20-60 addresses standards for development within a wildfire hazard area. Staff Response: The development area is within a low wildfire hazard area and the Applicant has stated that he will comply with the Code in regards to construction of the buildings within this hazard area. The Basalt and Rural Fire Protection District has provided comments on the application. The Applicant has met directly with the District to better understand the upfront issues with construction of a structure of this size and type. In summary the District's comments revolve around the "life safety" of the occupants of the buildings and the ability for responders to service the property if a need occurs. In Section II of the BRFD letter, specific requirements for construction of the greenhouses are outlined. Notably, the District would like an automated fire sprinkler system for the development that complies with Stall Alemorandum Page 3 nj 9 uuUO49 the applicable International Fire Code requirements. Due to the size of the proposed structures, the Fire District will require a 25,000 to 35,000 gallon water tank to supply the sprinkler system. The tank would be buried. The Fire District has further recommendations regarding fire alarm systems and access improvements. River and Stream Corridors and Wetlands: Section 7-20-80 regulates and establishes standards for development near rivers, streams, and creeks. Staff Response: The Roaring Fork River is located to the southwest of the development area. The Applicant has shown the ability to meet the required 100' setback from the mean high water mark of the River and has successfully placed the proposed development outside this setback except for some permitted fire truck turnaround area. Wildlife Habitat Areas: There are no big game ranges in the proposed development area. The CPW recommends imposition of standard wildlife protection standards from the Code. SITE PLAN REVIEW The Applicant has also requested required site plan review. This request requires a review of: (1) placement of development within an approved activity envelope; (2) development within a scenic view protection area pursuant to section 7-20-120(d); (3) location of structures in accordance with rural character building guidelines pursuant to section 7-20-120(e); (4) landscaping and vegetation protection pursuant to section 7- 20-130; and (5) lighting in accordance with section 7-20-140. DEVELOPMENT WITHIN AN ACTIVITY ENVELOPE The locations of the proposed new development have been shown to be located within proposed designated Activity Envelopes. SCENIC REVIEW The subject parcel is visible from Hwy 82 and Lower River Road, designated scenic corridors. Structures shall comply with the following Code standards for review of a development within a Scenic Area. (1) The proposed development shall utilize existing topography and natural vegetation, such as ridges, hills, and existing trees, to screen buildings to the maximum extent practicable when viewed from those rights -of -way listed in subsection (b) above. Staff Response: The topography of the subject property is such that the site proposed for development is significantly below Highway 82 and also lower than River Road. The topography cannot help minimize the view from Highway 82. The topography does help reduce the visual impact from Lower River Road as the development area is approximately 16' below the road. There is some existing vegetation to screen the buildings from Lower River Road and neighbors. Any approval should require significant new landscaping for additional screening. Staff Memorandum Page 4 of 9 vU050 (2) The proposed development shall avoid the location of structures within the Scenic View Protection Areas, and shall avoid the location of structures within any Viewplane identified in the State Highway 82 Corridor Master Plan and Down Valley Comprehensive Plan if possible. If location outside the Scenic View Protection Area and defined Viewplanes is not practicable, then the proposed development shall not be located on the highest ground or most visible portion of any site as viewed from those corridors listed in subsection (b) above. Staff Response: There is not a scenic view -plane associated with this parcel, and there is no opportunity for the new greenhouses to avoid the Scenic View Protection Area. The greenhouses will be visible from one of the scenic roads no matter where they are positioned on the Lot. However, because of the specific location proposed it would be possible through strategic landscaping to minimize the visibility of the structures from the scenic roads and adjacent neighbors. The proposed development's height and bulk shall be designed to avoid, to the maximum extent practicable, the visibility of buildings from those corridors listed in subsection (b) above. This may include, but shall not be limited to, breaking the mass of the building down into a series of smaller forms, articulation of the building facades to avoid a wall or row effect, and staggering rooflines to avoid a long unbroken plane. Staff Response: The greenhouses are broken in to two pods of 9,600 sq. ft. The height of the greenhouse structures is proposed to be 18' measured to the ridge. (4) The proposed structure shall he placed so it does not project above a ridgeline such that a structure silhouettes against the sky when viewed from those corridors listed in subsection (b), unless there are no alternate building sites on the lot or parcel. Staff Response: The structures will not project above a ridgeline. The proposed development shall be designed to complement the natural topography of the land through the use of techniques such as earth -sheltered design, the use of natural materials and coloring, the use of low -reflectance materials, or clustering of structures on the least visible portions of the site. When a building is proposed near a ridgeline, then its form (particularly its roof form) shall replicate, parallel, or complement the natural form of the ridgeline so that it appears to be an element of the natural ridgeline. (3) (5) (6) (7) Staff Response: There is no opportunity for the proposed structures to utilize an earth -sheltered design and the greenhouses are not located near a ridgeline. The greenhouses are said to be of "low to non -reflective" materials. The proposed development shall preserve natural vegetation and avoid development within irrigated meadows, to the maximum extent practicable. Staff Response: It appears that the site may have once contained irrigated pasture land that is currently not in production of hay. It appears that there is no current agricultural use on this portion of the property. The proposed development shall install utilities in locations and through procedures that minimize visual impacts to the maximum extent practicable. Staff Response: Utilities that service the area willalso service the future development. Any new utilities will be required to be underground. Staff Memorandum Page 5 of 9 60051 (8) (9) All satellite dishes in the proposed development shall be located to minimize visibility from those rights -of -way listed in subsection (b), and shall use earth tone colors and/or screening to minimize their visual impact. Staff Response: Satellite dishes do not appear on the architectural renderings of the greenhouses. The Applicant states that there would be compliance. The proposed development shall not use earth moving and berms as the primary means of compliance with these regulations, but earth moving may be utilized in conjunction with other techniques to comply with standards in this section. Where earth moving techniques are necessary, man-made forms should be undulating and natural in appearance. Staff Response: The Applicant has not proposed berming to screen the Phase I and II greenhouses. (10) The exterior of all development, except development located and designed in the form of a ranch compound, shall be built or painted with indigenous earth tone materials or colors. The exterior of a ranch compound should be built or painted with indigenous earth tone materials, or shall be painted or stained using local, traditional ranch colors, which shall include shades of red, brown, or white. Paints or stains that simulate weathered barn wood also shall be permitted. Staff Response: Applicant states that indigenous colors will be used wherever possible. The greenhouses themselves will not be painted. (11) All roofs shall have a non -reflective color or composition. Reflective roof materials shall not be used unless the materials are treated prior to installation to eliminate reflection, with the exception of materials associated with solar or photovoltaic equipment. Staff Response: The Applicant has stated the greenhouses will be "low to non -reflective", (12) Lands disturbed by earth moving or berms should be revegetated using native species that are already growing on or near the site. Topsoil shall be stockpiled and placed on disturbed areas. Irrigation shall be provided to the revegetated areas if it is necessary to ensure survival of planted native species. Staff Response: The Applicant will be required to submit a revegetation plan for disturbed areas as a result of the construction of the greenhouses. (13) To the maximum extent practicable, roads and driveways shall be located to skirt the edge of and avoid dividing meadows and pastures and to avoid major road cuts. Roads and driveways should take advantage of the screening potential of natural topography and existing vegetation. Existing roads and driveways shall be used where practical. To enhance screening, a row of trees may be planted along the roads or driveways To the maximum extent practicable, roads and driveways located around the edge of or in meadows shall be laid out with soft, curving edges and shall avoid straight line corridors that are incongruous with the natural setting. Staff Response: An existing driveway will provide access. Staff Memorandum, Page 6 of 9 352 LANDSCAPING AND VEGETATION PROTECTION: Land Use Code Sec. 7-20-130 is intended to preserve existing vegetation on a development site to the maximum extent possible. Staff Response: The Applicant would be required to provide a revegetation plan for disturbed lands and a landscaping plan for additional screening at building permit submittal. LIGHTING: Land Use Code Sec. 7-20-140 is applicable for all lighting in the County. Staff Response: The Applicant has not provided a lighting plan and but does state that all exterior lighting will comply with the Code. The Applicant does explicitly state that no exposed/unshielded bulbs will be visible from adjacent properties. A lighting plan will be required at building permit submittal. The Applicant has indicated there will not be "grow lights" in the facility, only "shop" lights. WATER: A well exists on the property for domestic purposes and one acre of irrigation. The property has agricultural water rights from ditches that pass through the property. The District Water Commissioner has stated that the owners will have to apply for a Basalt Water Conservancy District allotment contract that will allow for diversion of water when the ditches are not running. FLEXIBILITY FOR AGRICULTURAL SUPPORT: The subject property does not meet the minimum acreage for the amount of exempt agricultural floor area requested and the applicant has subsequently requested additional exempt floor area pursuant to the Code Section 2-30-20 (19) below: If a property does not meet the minimum acreage required in Sec. 5-20-70(i) for an exempt agricultural building, or if the exempt floor area provided in Sec. 5-20-70(i) is not adequate to support an agricultural operation, the owner may submit a request to obtain additional exempt floor area. The Community Development Director shall approve the additional exempt floor area, provided the following criteria are met: (a) Agricultural Buildings are listed as an allowed, special review or master plan use in Table 4-1 in the zone district; and Staff Response: Agricultural buildings are an allowed use in the AR-10 zone district. (b) The agricultural building(s) complies with the applicable standards of Chapter 7; and Staff Response: The proposed agricultural buildings will mostly comply with Chapter 7 standards. There are scenic/visual issues that need to be addressed. (c) The owner demonstrates that the property is utilized for an agricultural operation as defined in Chapter 11 and that the agricultural building(s) are designed and will he used to support the agricultural operation. To demonstrate that the property is utilized for an agricultural operation and that the agricultural building(s) are designed and will be used to support the agricultural operation, the owner shall submit the following: Staff Memorandum Page 7 of 9 3053 (1) Detailed description of existing and proposed agricultural activities, including number of animals, types and size of equipment, implements and gear, etc. Staff Response: The Applicant has provided information on the proposed uses, number of plants, space needed, etc. The Applicant has provided detail in Exhibit 12 of the application stating the proposed need for the size of the structures for the medical marijuana "grow" operation that would be in support of a medical marijuana dispensary (ies). (2) Site plan showing existing and proposed buildings and areas on the property used for the agricultural operation; Staff Response: The Site Plan has been provided. (3) Floor plans and elevations of the agricultural building(s) to demonstrate that the scale and layout of the building(s) are appropriate given the specified agricultural activities. Staff Response: Provided. (4) Description of how the proposed agricultural building(s) will support and sustain the rural character of the County. Staff Response: The Applicant states that a greenhouse structure for growing "trees, fruit, vegetables, flowers, grain, and other crops" (as greenhouse is defined in Code) supports and sustains agriculture and the rural character of the County. Section 3-40-100(a) of the Code addresses the AR-10 Zoning District in Pitkin County. This Section states: The AR-10 district is intended to accommodate small scale agricultural activities and large -lot residential development that maintains the rural character and appearance of the land. Because few agricultural activities can be accomplished on a lot of ten (10) acres, the majority of such land will be used for residential uses The question at issue is whether large greenhouses "maintain the rural character and appearance of the land". This is a new typology of rural character in Pitkin County which changes the current appearance of rural areas. Staff has concerns whether this scale of greenhouse development in this location adequately conforms to the Woody Creek Master Plan due to the potential neighborhood impacts of the proposal; specifically with regard to light that may be transmitted from the greenhouse, traffic, visibility, and rural character changes. The Master Plan speaks to the preservation of past and present character of the community and open -space oriented agricultural uses. Staff Memorandum Page 8 of 9 (d) The Agricultural Building Review Committee shall review applications for additional exempt floor area for agricultural buildings and make a recommendation to Community Development Department as to whether the agricultural building is designed to support an agricultural operation and is functional for agricultural uses. The Community Development Department shall have the discretion to determine which applications for agricultural buildings should be referred to the Committee for review; an Applicant may also request a Committee review. Staff Response: The Community Development Director has determined that this application should not be referred to the Agricultural Building Review Committee for review. The Applicant has also not requested a review by the Committee. STAFF DISCUSSION: The size of the new proposed 19,000 square feet of development is a concern. The maximum residential floor area for the AR-10 Zone District is 15,000 square feet. The maximum additional exempt allowable agricultural floor area on this property would be 5,812 sq. ft.; a total of 20,812 sq. ft. The proposal would result in approximately 26,000 +/- sq. ft. with the existing structures and proposed new greenhouses. It should be acknowledged that the Flexibility for Agricultural Support provision does not have a maximum size limitation that caps a request for additional agricultural floor area. The provision, however, does take into account the rural character of the County when reviewing flexibility requests. Staff believes it is appropriate to recommend at this time that only Phase I (9,600 square feet of greenhouses and ancillary buildings) be allowed in response to the request for Flexibility for Agricultural Support. If approved, a covenant against the property should be recorded that states the buildings may only be used for the represented operation and that any change in use or expansion would be subject to further review and decision. RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends that the Board of County Commissioners make a finding that the scale and size of the requested floor area of 19,000 sq. ft. for the greenhouses and ancillary structures is not in concert with the request for Flexibility for Agricultural Support, the Scenic View Protection Area, and the applicable Master Plan and that 9,600 square feet is appropriate at this time. Staff further recommends that the Board of County Commissioners adopt a motion to approve the LAFKLC, LLC Activity Envelope and Site Plan Review, and Flexibility for Agricultural Support, subject to the attached draft resolution. ATTACHMENTS: A. Basalt and Rural Fire Protection District comments B. CPW referral comments C. Zoning referral comments D. Letters from public Application provided separately Stall .%temorandum Page 9 of 9 Li' 0055