Permit allowing cannabis to be grown next to new Santa Maria high school

SANTA MARIA, Calif. - The Career Technical Education/Agricultural Center plans to have a new neighbor adjacent from the new high school.

The Santa Maria Joint Union High School District recently became aware of a permit to grow 20 acres of cannabis -- neighboring the 25-acre high school.

The school board and district officials are opposed to the permit and is working to submit a letter to the Santa Barbara County Planning and Development Department.

According to a land use consultant for Stateside Greens from Quest Planning, the permit application was submitted in December and updated as recent as May.

A large concern was the distance from the pot fields to neighbors, especially the new school.

Santa Barbara County allows cannabis 750 feet away from property lines.

The land use consultant says their field is over 900 feet from the school.

Stateside Greens stated: "The applicant and property owner fully intend to preserve the longstanding neighbor relationships, continue to contribute positively to the community and also ensure that the cannabis cultivation does not negatively affect the new school (agriculture) facility or any other neighbor."