The change is meant to answer the growing number of illegal weed farms in the county, which is in the northernmost part of the state and shares a border with Oregon, particularly when three-quarters of California is currently experiencing extreme drought.
According to a Press Democrat article back in 2014, researchers have estimated each marijuana plant consumes six gallons of water a day.
Set to take effect 30 days after its passage, an exemption to the ordinance in Siskiyou County would only be available through a written request to and approval of the county’s Director of Public Works.
Any special permits will not be available for cannabis cultivation, Siskiyou County district attorney Kirk Andrus said, per Mount Shasta Herald.
It’s not clear whether or not potential penalties will have the intended deterrence effect.
“Illegal marijuana has been around in Siskiyou County, unfortunately, for a long time, and it’s just getting way out of hand and we’re just trying to get our hands around it,” he said.
Southwest of Siskiyou County is Humboldt County, which runs along the Pacific Ocean.
Weed products were seized and about 5,500 cannabis plants were destroyed, according to the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office.
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