Calaveras To Discuss Storm Impacts, CAO Search, And Cannabis Ecotourism
San Andreas, CA — Flooding impacts, the search for a new CAO, and opportunities related to the cannabis industry will all be discussed at Tuesday’s Calaveras County Board of Supervisors meeting.
It will start at 8am with closed session items related to the search for a permanent CAO, a performance evaluation of the interim CAO (Craig Pedro), and labor negotiations.
The regular session starts at 9am and the board will hear an update from the Office of Emergency Services about storm damage that has occurred since December 29. A couple of weeks ago, it was noted that over 80 structures were damaged from things like flooding and downed trees, but the assessment was still ongoing. The hardest hit areas have been around Valley Springs. The county has not yet been added to a federal disaster declaration, but is hoping it may still happen, which would make more money available to assist with the cleanup.
At the end of the meeting, the board will talk about the potential for cannabis ecotourism. A presentation will be delivered by the Planning Department. Meeting documents note, “With the decline in cannabis cultivation county-wide, cannabis cultivators are exploring additional, legal ways to generate revenue. One solution is cannabis ecotourism, which combines the principles of agritourism, already in the code, with cannabis.”
Agritourism is a growing sector, both locally, and nationally, with things like winery tours, educational events, and festivals. Various forms of agritourism is allowed under the county code, however, the county does not currently consider cannabis to be an agricultural product. Some of the potential benefits of cannabis ecotourism will be discussed as an informational item.
