Larimer County will look into apparent grows and allegations of other land use violations.
Residents of a Rist Canyon neighborhood stormed the Larimer County Commission meeting Tuesday with a single question: Why are there large-scale marijuana grow operations in their mountain community?
About two dozen residents told the three commissioners about activities they allege include gunfire, open-air cultivation, armed guards, large buildings and increased truck traffic on private roads in their quiet neighborhood. And, startling to a neighborhood still reeling from when the High Park Fire destroyed 50-plus homes, out of the more than 250 it consumed, the flames of bonfires.
One resident shared photos showing what he identified as marijuana being grown on adjacent properties, spaced out like crops.
"It very much looks like a commercial grow operation in a residential area," resident Dale Snyder said.
He described a barn-like structure, estimated at 40-by-80 feet, on a fire-cleared property, with water storage dotting the property, and all the commotion that comes with a large-scale operation.
"They came into a community where we don't want it," Snyder said. "It's a quiet community."
He noted residents up there, six miles up Rist Canyon from Bellvue, aren't strangers to marijuana grows. But normally they're small and for personal use, he said.
A phone message left for an owner of the land of the alleged grow operation was not returned Tuesday.
Commissioners, surprised by the crowd at what is typically a quiet public comment portion of the meeting, took note. What's less clear is what they can do.
Residents said they've contacted the Larimer County Sheriff's Office and code enforcement. The commissioners said they'd apply pressure.
"As far as I'm concerned, (the grows) are illegal and they should be treated as such," Commissioner Lew Gaiter said.
Individuals are allowed to cultivate personal-use marijuana and caregivers of marijuana patients can cultivate up to six plants per patient.
"It presents kind of a difficult enforcement dilemma for the county because it's hard for us to tell how many of these plants are pre-caregiver, how many caregivers do we have," Commissioner Steve Johnson said, adding that they'll consult with the sheriff and zoning and code enforcement about the properties. "... We're very sympathetic to the concerns the neighbors expressed and understand their concerns and will do whatever we can to preserve the safety and harmony of their neighborhood."
Johnson, who represents residents in Rist Canyon, said enforcement actions on murky laws can be challenging. But code violations and land use — both of which are concerns from neighbors, including questions of wiring and energy use — give the county other tools.
"I think there are a lot of violations in this case, and I think (these kind of operations are) also pretty widespread," Johnson said.
Many are likely just ignorant of the rules, he added.
Larimer County uses a reactive code enforcement system, where neighbors must report potential violations and nuisances to spur investigations. The process normally requires neighbors to sign off the allegations, but Johnson said he may waive that requirement in this case, as residents were expressing concerns for safety and quality of life.
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