Santa Barbara County winemakers worry as weed industry grows

From David Lafond’s vineyard nestled on the hillsides between Buellton and Lompoc, there’s a perfect view of what he says is a big problem for local winemakers.

One of the largest marijuana grows in California sits just on the other side of the Santa Ynez River from Lafond’s property.

“It’s changing the nature of the valley,” Lafond said. “Right now it’s a dormant time but the odor from these operations when they’re all up and planted… [it’s] strong enough to just knock you over, almost.”

Lafond and his family have been making wine on the land for nearly 50 years.

He says the adjacent 61-acre marijuana crop came out of nowhere and has exploded in size in just the past year and grew even more in the past month. He believes that the growing cannabis industry and the large grows on the Central Coast are now affecting winemakers who live in the area and tourists who visit.

Lafond specifically mentioned concerns about odor and safety.

“We encourage people to come visit us in our tasting rooms,” Lafond said. “We encourage them to walk into the vineyard… The cannabis industry, in contrast, they have fences with black paper on them. Armed guards standing in front of their entrances. It’s a very threatening atmosphere and it’s not conducive to the tourist industry.”

Other local vineyards and wine organizations have sent letters to the county asking for more cannabis grow regulation from Santa Barbara County. Some appeared at Tuesday night’s meeting on cannabis in Carpinteria.

Lafond says that he’s not anti-cannabis, but that the industry appeared in the area suddenly and did not communicate enough with local vineyard owners. He says more rules need to be in place to help the wine industry. Santa Barbara County’s exact regulations on the marijuana industry have been confusing to many, but are generally considered to be the most lenient in the state.

“I would hope that the county would get more in line with the other counties,” Lafond said. “We just need to take a deep breath and take a step back and try to understand what the ramifications of having these big grows are.”

At the meeting on cannabis in Carpinteria, legal marijuana grower Sara Rotman from North County responded to criticism from the community, including winemakers.

“I know a great deal of what has people so upset is based on bad information, the actions of illegal operators and a lack of understanding for the incredible, significant laws and regulations that [Santa Barbara County] has already put into place,” Rotman said. “I think a lot of the people here would benefit from a greater understanding of some of the regulations that are currently being applied and in the act of being applied to all those legal growers. The community itself and the people here and the cannabis cultivators operating legally have more similarities, shared values and goals than differences. Unfortunately, any further restrictions on the legal operators will do little to remove the threats of the people’s concerns expressed today.”